No Home-Training
by The-Year-of-the-Dragon
Summary: Rating: M for language (Ellie and Bill are a deadly combination) Pairing:Joel/Ellie Summary: This is a Joel/Ellie story that runs through the game and beyond. My goal was to make it a real case for the pairing. It is getting beta by the wonderful Somebodypeople
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These characters belong to the creators

Warnings language

A/N: I have a wonderful beta! Somebodypeople is going through the story and fixing it up!

Sometimes Bill made sense, and that was when you knew things were getting crazy.

His head ached. _Stupid snare,_ Joel thought to himself. It must have been the blood that rushed to his head while he hung in that damn trap, but it could have been the company.

"This way." Joel crossed into the suburban backyard gripping the shiv tightly in his hand. The clicker was staggering around in a circle. Joel crawled as its back turned and he managed to catch the blade in its neck. It gurgled as blood spurted out. Disgusting. He had done this a hundred times, but it was still the worst job.

The other two were crouched by the bushes waiting for the signal. _Great job, Bill. I got this. Sit back on your fat ass. No, no. It's cool. Stay with the unarmed girl and hide behind her._

After dispatching the last runner, they were clear to run through the garage of an abandoned house. It still had some useful items inside. Joel grabbed some binding when it started again:

"What did I tell you about touching stuff?" Bill growled.

"What, this is yours, too?" Ellie held up a pair of scissors.

"It's in this town."

"Whatever, fucker. It's yours, then. Keep it." She went to the opening of the garage.

"Ellie?" Joel moved toward her. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Go get it!" Ellie tossed the scissors over the fence. She turned back with a grin before something on the receiving end of her throw screamed. "Shit!" She dodged to Joel's side.

"I told you, nothing but trouble! She is going to get us all killed!" Bill pointed a gloved finger at Joel. "It will be your fault, too."

"No one asked you to come along. You could have given us a map or something," Ellie hissed as she stepped between the men.

"Ellie, we did ask him to come along." Joel touched her shoulder lightly.

"I didn't ask for him to come along. He is just a rude dick that can go fuck himself." She tried to pull her shoulder away, but he caught her.

"Ah. Bill, could you go check on whatever she hit? We need to have a meeting."

"That sounds great," Bill answered. "That brat needs to get a good ass whooping. If you weren't going to do it, I was."

"I hope that runner bites you in the balls," Ellie growled.

"Why would Tess want to transport the girl? It's just fucking stupid," Bill thought out loud. He pulled his gun up to his shoulder as he rounded on the fence. God, it was another stab for him to mention Tess.

Joel caught Ellie's sleeve and hauled her up to the moss-covered swing set. He had to handle some business. This girl had no home-training.

He left her at a seat before joining her. They would watch the sunset from here.

"Joel,"

"Quit it."

"But,"

"What did I say?"

Ellie began to pout. Joel clasped his hands tightly and looked back at the sky to avoid her. Her reddish hair shined brightly in the dying light. "Listen. Sometimes we have to be nice to people who are not nice to us to get what we want. Okay? I don't want to hear you two fighting all the way to the high school." He shook his head. "That's all I got to say on the subject."

"He started it."

"I told you, he was strange. Now act like you have some sense!" He didn't mean for it to come out like that, but that girl had to learn some self control.

Ellie began to move her swing back and forth. "Whatever," she whispered.

_Shit._ The whole thing was getting a little close to home for his liking. _First Tess, and now this girl._ She was just like her: a firecracker. Lord knew that Tess would have been cursing, too. _Something at that age and … Sarah._ It hurt Joel's heart to think about that remnant of the past. _Shit. Bill was right; this would not end well._ It was going to be a mess and he would lose her again.

"Joel," Ellie pulled him from his thoughts. "I'm sorry. I just don't like how he talks to me." At least she was being honest. They did start off on a bad foot with the handcuffs and pipe. Bill could have been a little nicer, but the world was not a nice place.

"Baby, cursing a man out doesn't make you tougher. He's still got a gun and no firm grasp on human compassion, so just be quieter. Roll your eyes or something when he isn't looking. Besides, you know I wouldn't let him hurt you."

Ellie swung slowly, back and forth. "What do think he was going to try with the handcuffs? He would have just shot me."

"I wouldn't let him."

"Right. Easy to say." She rolled her eyes.

"I see you're getting practice." He replayed the scene in his head: the handcuffs, the pipe, both of them yelling. It all was just a rush. "Besides, I wouldn't have let it go that far." The pair swung in the cracked plastic swings in silence. Joel reached out and gripped her knee. "I wouldn't have." She looked up as his hand lingered.

He took his hand back and stretched as he got up. His legs ached from crouching around the infected clickers. Ellie joined him.

"We'd better check on Bill."

"That fatass is probably waiting in the garage."

Joel rolled his shoulders back and ruffled her hair. "We gotta work on your language."

"Fuck no. It's fine."

He had to suppress a smile. "Lead the way, young lady."

Ellie's ponytail swung lightly with her walk. She was definitely a firecracker. She was one part Sarah and one part Tess, and the rest was the girl in front of him. It still amazed Joel that Ellie would gasp in surprise when he killed a runner, but she had no problems stabbing an officer or bashing Bill with a pipe. She was a strange combination of growing up too fast and still being innocent. That was the root of it. Bill had no excuse for acting on the same level as a teenager, but Ellie didn't have the home or parents to help her become a lady.

"Dammit, Joel. Did you just talk to her?" Bill accused as they entered the room.

"Shut up, Bill," Joel snapped.

"She will get you killed."

"And that will be my problem, so butt out."

"He's got enough of that," Ellie grumbled.

_For fuck's sake, _thought Joel. "Ellie," he scolded.

"I got it, Joel." She moved back to his side, picked up his arm, and put it around her shoulders. "I'll play nice."

"Let's just go to the high school already," Joel said as he gave a her a squeeze. _There might be hope for this girl yet._


	2. Hitchhikers

Chapter 2 Hitchhikers

Pairing Joel/ellie

Summary just continuing their journey through pittsburgh and Joel is getting attached to her.

A/N: I am only at 50% in the game and I am just writing as I go. I saw how many people wanted me to continue so I picked a story and kept going. Though for most of mine I like a oneshot and just go through my other stories.

"You know, you are kind of like a bloater."

Joel sat up._ She's awake again. "_What are you talking about?" He adjusted in the seat. _God. _It would be so easy to drift off, and that was not a good road peeled out behind them. It felt so weird driving a truck again after all those years. Sure, he drove a little here and there after the event as he made his way north, but this was the longest he'd driven in many years. This old two lane highway probably felt the same way as he did.

"Only the tough ones make it to that point. They don't die easy," she babbled on.

"Thanks, I guess," Joel said, sneering a little at being compared with one of those things.

"Yeah, and you are a pretty cool guy. That's a total bonus." Ellie was sitting up now and leaned forward so her hands were on his shoulders. Joel could feel the heat from her hands through his shirt. She looked over his shoulder at the road like she knew where they were going.

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"Does it look like we are there?" Joel snapped. He could tell this was going to be like her whistling to her own personal soundtrack.

Ellie laughed and dug her thumbs into his shoulders. "I'm just shitting you." Her thumbs made small circles and it felt good. _Damn. _"How do you know the way there?" she asked.

He barely listened to her question but managed to mumble, "I've traveled a bit, and road signs still work. Most of the time, anyways." He leaned his head to let her rub into the tendons. _Fuck. _She was using her knuckles and something popped in a good kind of way.

"You need to take a shower."

"You do, too." He tried not to smile; this kid was honest as hell.

"Thanks, jerk. I'm doing you a favor and you insult me." She slapped the back of his neck. It didn't hurt him at all. She moved back to her bag with her arms crossing her chest. Joel glanced in the rearview mirror. Now he felt the sting of her slap. He had to fix this.

"Are you pouting?"

"No!" She moved back to him. "Just stretching."

Her hands were back. _Perfect. _Joel hummed as she continued. She moved down to rub right between his shoulder blades on either side of his spine, then back up. Tess was not one to give back rubs; if anything, that was his job. It was nice to be on the other end of this. _Lower, _he thought. Somehow she knew to move lower and dug in.

"If you are tired, I could drive," she whispered into his ear. The hair on the back of his neck rose.

"No." He cleared his throat to get the deepness out.

She put on a sweet tone. "I did good before."

"You did, but you need to be the one sleeping now. I got things handled up here."

Her hands dropped again. "Fine, macho man." She laid back down with her back towards him. She sighed and curled up.

_Fuck. _Joel brought his hand back up to his neck and rubbed it a little. He missed her fingers.

ERRRRRRRRRRRRSHHHHKKKKKKKKKKK

He groaned as the steering wheel jabbed into his ribs. _"Sarah!" _His heart jumped in his chest._ "Gotta get out. Gotta get out. GOTTA GET OUT! I have to find her." _

He looked to the right and it was not that night at all. It was Ellie, and she didn't look much better.

"Are you okay?" He reached across the seat. _Please, God. Please._

She held her head. "I'm fine."

Before he could ask more questions the passenger door was ripped open. A man grabbed her legs first and Joel grabbed what he could get. They weren't going to take her.

"JOEL!" she screamed as she kicked. Her grip on him was just as hard as his.

He dug in deeper, but another man got him and pulled him out of the car. The pair struggled until Joel was inches above a piece of glass. _SHIT._

"JOEL!" she screamed.

He wasn't going to let it happen again. He wasn't going to loseheragain. This was not how he was going to die. Joel pushed up and elbowed the man. He grabbed at the man's shoulder and switched positions. This fucker was going to suffer.

The man gurgled on his own blood as Joel ran to Ellie's side.

He slammed into the man choking her. Thank God the guy didn't have a gun. She still had time. He pulled her to her feet. She coughed for a second, holding onto his arm.

"Run!" She grabbed his hand and they hid behind the shelves of an abandoned store. _She's not limping,_ he thought. He wanted to sigh in relief, but he didn't have time. They ducked down with Ellie between him and the shelf. More men came. Joel and Ellie made their way around the counter and held their ground against the bastards. He threw a bottle to divert them, then caught them as they walked away.

Once they were as safe as they could be, he checked her over again. He saw no cuts, bruises, blood, or broken bones. His ribs burned, but she was fine and that was good enough for him.

"Fucking hell." Joel slid down the wall groaning. Everything hurt. He was still damp. His ribs hurt like a mother and his legs were killing him from having to crawl his way across Pittsburgh. Only now had they finally found a space to bunk down for a rest, even if it was for a few minutes.

Ellie looked the room over once more and sat down next to him. It was an old apartment, but it was safe enough with the door barricaded. It looked dirty like the rest of the places, but the windows gave it some light. They made their camp in a clean corner because the rest of the furniture was pretty disgusting.

She slipped a book out of her bag and flipped the pages.

"So, you did get something at the bookstore."

"I said I wish I had more room. I had a little." She looked at him. "You can sleep. I'll keep watch."

"We're fine. You should sleep too."

"I'm fine. I offered in the truck, but nooooo. I got this. Besides, I want to finish this chapter." Joel smiled. Sarah was not a reader. It was like pulling teeth. Tess had more important stuff to worry about, so it was different.

"What are you reading now?"

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

"Hm."

"Ever read it?"

"Nope."

"Oh. Well, it seemed like a funny book." She tucked some hair behind her ear. "I could read it to you." She flipped back to the beginning of the book.

"If you want. Just start where you left off. I'll figure it out." He grunted and shifted.

She leaned on him and her heat made his side hurt a little less. She moved her bag to her other side. "Alright. Chapter three." He closed his eyes, listening to her. The words flew in and out, but he did smile at a few of the lines as his body got heavier and heavier.

The room was dark except for his flashlight. "You get any sleep?" He rubbed at his face and cleared his throat.

"Tried to. You snore like a runner. No wonder they don't bother us at night. They think you're one of them. OWW!"

His elbow did the job. He turned off his light and slid an arm around her shoulders. "Sleep."

"Joel," she whined as she pushed him. He hugged her. "I'm not tired, and I just got to a good part."

"Just try, for me." He could feel his own weight. His eyes were closed again.

"But," she protested quietly. She shifted closer to his side. "Night, Joel."

"Night, Baby," he mumbled.

_Is she? _His mind processed what she was doing. _A kiss._ Ellie pressed her lips to his rough cheek and slid back down like she hoped he wouldn't notice it. He squeezed her side, but he knew better than to say anything. He would deal with this in the morning.


	3. Nothing

Chapter 3: Nothing

A/N: This is back into Ellie's mind and I will now try to at least flip between. I love writing as both and I will make sure you know what is going on. I'm still working through the game.

_We don't need to talk about it. We won't talk about it. We will definitely not have that conversation_, Ellie repeated in her head for the tenth time that morning. _Nope, never. _Her stomach flopped and she hid the sigh with a bar from her power ballad guitar solo.

"Duh da dun. Duh–" _Shit. _Joel was looking at her again._ Look somewhere else, motherfucker. _He shook his head and kept walking forward. She followed. Ellie didn't mean to annoy him, but when she was bored or nervous it just came out, and the guy could at least let her have that. It was like her jokes. At least he laughed at those sometimes.

The suburbs were strange. The city still felt like it was abandoned yesterday, whereas these little homes felt sad. A lot of stuff from the families that lived inside of them was still there. It was weird looking at the pictures and clothes and not thinking about the family. Joel seemed creeped out by the places, too, but he was far too busy maintaining watch to stop and talk about it. _The house, not that thing-that-they-would-not-talk-about-because-it-wa s-nothing._

They moved toward the backyard and Joel paused at the door. Ellie's heart stopped. He dropped low to listen and she did the same, moving toward him.

He crawled out and they cut to another house. The danger had passed. Joel walked through to the kitchen of the house and opened drawers and cabinets. He grabbed anything that he could use for crafting while Ellie scanned for food and pocketed a few band-aids. Sometimes it was good to hold on to things and give them to Joel after he ran out.

He went on to check out the living room, still listening for runners and clickers.

It was just a peck on the cheek. A goodnight kiss, nothing more. Joel was just a cool guy and he worked hard to protect her. She would be a goner if he didn't step in. Besides, he is way too old to be _sexy. _She stopped in her tracks and tried to scrub that word out of her head. She needed that alcohol rub he always wanted. Joel was not sexy. He was a cool old guy that was funny.

He motioned for her to follow out the front door, and she did.

He dropped down to listen and –_ What the fucking hell, brain?! Did you just check out his butt? Really?_ Ellie wanted to scream, but she knew that would be suicide. _Maybe I should scream._

She took a deep breath and moved to join him. They made their way to a car in the middle of the street. A clicker staggered around on the other side. Joel moved to sneak up on it. It turned toward him as he moved.

THACK. Ellie tossed a brick at its head. It cried and folded in half while Joel used a shiv to finish the job.

"I nailed it!" she quietly cheered. Joel turned back at her with his jaw set.

"What happened to the strategy?"

"We have that?" she asked, wrinkling her forehead. _Since when does he tell me the "plan"?_

He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Come on," he growled. "This way."

"Hey, remember what you said about being nice to people." She bumped into his backpack.

"You want to be Bill in this situation?"

"I can't. I'm not fat enough." Ellie couldn't help but crack a smile. He looked like he was going to explode.

"Just. Keep. Moving." He barked each word.

They fell into silence. For a moment things were good, until that sick feeling came back. They kept up the pace as they went to find their next place. It wasn't until the sun went down that he finally stopped and made a new safe space. They shared a can of baked beans and corn she took from one of the houses. Even the spoon was shared. _Yummy… bleh. _He took back the can and dug in. The only sound was his chewing and the birds. He looked up at her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just not feeling good tonight."

He raised an eyebrow.

"My stomach, not my arm." She pulled up her sleeve. The bite wound was scaled over and looked bad, but it didn't hurt anymore. It was not even itchy.

"Hm." He handed her the rest of the food. "Eat. You will feel better." He stood up to check the window.

Ellie curled up and used the spoon. Sharing stuff is what you had to do, but that guilt came back. He should have had the rest. "So, what did you eat before all this?"

"I liked to grill." He got a smile. "I did pick up a little bit more, but some pork tenderloin was great."

"Wait! You had meat? God, that sounds awesome! Mom only could get that, like, on my birthday and stuff."

Joel nodded. "It's tough to get that stuff when you don't have farmers."

"Joel, how old were you when it happened?"

He frowned. "Twenty-eight, almost twenty-nine."

She slipped her fingers out of her pockets. He cut her off before she could finish counting. "I'm 49. My birthday was the day I met you, actually." He paused, frowning slightly. His voice dropped with a weight. "Twenty years of this."

Ellie moved to his side. "See? I told you you're like a bloater." She punched his arm. "So, twenty-eight. Job? Wife? Kids?"

"I think we should get some sleep."

Ellie frowned. _Musthavehad a yes in there_. She moved to make her bed near his back. She could feel the warmth that radiated from him. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be," he whispered back.

She slid against his back. _Maybe he was right. Maybe I do have a big mouth._


	4. Old and New Wounds

Old and New Wounds

A/N: Hello again. Thanks for the reviews they really do keep me going and I will try to make this story go all the way through the game (my goal at least). We are back at Joel and this was a time skip. But as a bonus I will try and make it twice as long.

"Just a few more miles." Joel grunted.

"That's cool." She mumbled. She sounded as exhausted as he was.

Joel took in a deep breath. This whole trip had gone wrong from start to now. Too much had happened. Marlene, Tess, Bill, Henry, Sam and every other fucking thing. Nothing turned out right, there was always something in the way. His jaw tightened. And what to come didn't seem that promising.

It had been over three months since they left Boston and the weather was turning. They had been walking and walking and walking since the suburbs. Through Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, all that was in between, and now they were in what was once Wyoming. It was one long walk. _Goddamn truck would have been nice_. At least there was hope they were probably at least 20 miles from Jackson County.

The roads had given out long ago. Just cracked concrete and asphalt were the only things that cut the paths through the trees. Not that the pair wanted to really go through another major city. The small towns had been enough problems.

Joel grunted and picked up his feet. _They were up shit creek without a paddle._ Ellie picked up pace to not fall further behind.

"Can we slow down? It isn't like we will get there tonight..." She caught his wrist and pulled back.

"Hm." He didn't have the energy to mumble even anything back, but he slowed down. She was probably hung- _Hell, I'm hungry too. _They subsided on Sam's cans, berries and what meat they could catch and cook. She lost some weight, but it was hard to tell with her jacket.

_That Jacket._ She left her old winter coat with Marlene back in Boston. And somehow it was his job to find another one. It came with a price. They had found a small outpost town that was free of the military and fireflies but open to transporters, and they did some trading. Turned out a couple bullets could get him a jacket that made her smile (Not his intent. He just wanted the girl to have a stupid coat. But it was nice to see her smile).

He finally found a place where he could get a coffee that was mixed strong enough to give him a buzz for a week. He even debated getting a room at the hotel they set up. It would have been a break from it all. But of course things still went to shit. Some other transporters started the trouble. Something about stolen goods. They made it out before the town could self-combust, but at least they both got something out of that tourist trap.

Other than that it was off-roading. They were left finding shelter, food, and water where they could.

The world of trees shifted hard to the left as he stumbled over a tree root. _Goddammit, _he mentally groaned. Ellie was there propping on his shoulder talking, but he didn't listen. His side burned. Everything hurt. His whole body couldn't take this anymore, too tired to even stop.

He took in a breath and shrugged off her hands. "I'm fine." He managed to growl out. "Just be careful."

"You are telling me to be careful!" Her pitch was high, but a look sent her pouting. Being loud even in the woods could attract unwanted attention. They didn't need that.

"Let's just keep going. It isn't that much further." He hoped it wasn't that much further. He picked up the pace back to the slow march. His hand slipping to his ribs that were so broken they were probably just splinters. He touched it tenderly regretting the action immediately, but he didn't flinch. He took a deep breath instead and carried on.

A hand caught his own effectively stopping him in his tracks. "Joel, you aren't even listening to me. That shed over there looks like a good place to stop." Her voice was soft but insistent.

"Eh?" he scanned the clump of trees she was pointing at. It was a metal machine shed like where farmers kept their equipment. _Looks solid enough... _There was an old farmhouse, but the paint was worn away and the windows were busted out by what was hopefully birds. The grass around the place was waist high and it look abandoned. "It'll do. I reckon."

"Good." She didn't let go of his hand as they waded through the grass looking for signs of clickers or worse, other survivors.

"Careful." She said as she picked her way over a old barbed wire fence. He gently swung over and the pair checked out the house.

It looked like something out of Resident Evil and every scary movie. The wallpaper and paint were gone. The stove sat in the middle of the kitchen and the subfloor was exposed. _A one-way ticket to the basement. _The whole place was stripped. Even the infected would have a hard time in that place. It was so eerie.

"I don't know about you, but I am not going in there." Ellie tugged. "Let's go check out the shed."

"Fine."

It was a large metal shed with only windows under the eaves of the roof. No doors except the large metal sliding door and there was a lot of grass around the door. _Good._Joel found the pin that locked the door in the ground and pulled it out. He grabbed the handle and gave it shove.

"Here." Ellie slide underneath him and dug her heels in before he could ask. "Count of three?"

The door creaked and they opened it as far as they could to be able to see. Nothing but a tractor and a table with old tools and some old supplies. _No people_. The floor was concrete with a layer of dirt and loose straw.

He made enough of a den with some blankets. The farmer was nice enough to leave a few kerosene lamps and fuel so they had some light. It would do for a night. He sighed as he finally took a seat on an overturned bucket.

"Ellie?" He called.

She had excused herself to the bathroom and 'was fine' but his heart raced a little more each moment she was out of his sight, and without a job to keep him occupied his heart would be in his throat.

"I'm right here!" She yelled and he could breath.

"Hurry up."

"Jeez, Joel." She came into the doors carrying something that splashed to the floor. "Fuck."

"What are you doing now?" he sighed as he leaned more on his forearms. Hunching over stretched his back out. Walking all day sucked ass.

"They had a pipe by the door. I tripped on it and then though 'what the hell? I might still work.' and it did. Isn't that cool?" She babbled on about the water she found.

"It is probably hooked up to a well."

"Cool." She probably didn't even know what he was talking about it. "Well," She went on. "I got clean water. I think I am going to wash up."

"Sounds good." He studied the floor as some muscle in his lower back finally gave into the stretch. _God, that felt good._

"Joel!"

"What?"

"Could you at least turn around?"

"Trust me. You won't fit in the bucket."

"JOEL! I want to wash my clothes. I want something to decent to wear."

It was hard to keep a straight face. "Fine." He made a 180 to study the tractor. _Nice Wheels. _He took in a deep breath and waited to hear her move. "If you are in the mood to wash clothes-"

"I'm not washing yours."

"Fine. then."

Fabric rustled and popped. Then there was a zipper. _Damn, hearing. _Followed by a swishing sound. Small and rhythmic. It was quiet except for the sound of the water. He could almost just close his eyes...

"Joel, promise you won't look?"

"Huh?" He cracked an eye open.

"Just say 'yes.' I forgot to grab the soap bar out of my bag."

_How does that involve me? _he wondered. That was until he looked down at what was leaning on his bucket... her bag. _Fuck. _"Okay... I'll just stay still."

She came over. He glimpsed a bare forearm as she grabbed the whole bag.

"How are you going to dry the clothes."

"I got that handled. He had some wire on the table." She unzipped her bag and pulled out what she needed to get. "You can turn around; I got something on now."

"You just like to take people's shit."

"He wasn't using it."

He laughed and turned. She did have something on. A large t-shirt that she could swim in. She was wringing her jeans out over the bucket and moved to hang them up. Her small chest was completely hidden by the fabric; her legs were almost as white as the shirt. The bite on her mark still burned like the red of a scar, but never went beyond the initial wound. Despite all that...

"Where did you get that?" He eyed the shirt.

"Where I get everything else. I need something to change into..." She finished hanging up her jeans next to her shirt.

"I really do need some new jeans..." She muttered as she inspected her work. The jeans were hung on her makeshift clothesline next to other delicate items... _Fuck, why did I look over there? _He focused his attention back on Ellie.

_Are you naked under that-? _Joel tried to stop the thought as it appeared in his mind, but it came through loud and clear.

"Don't worry, I keep a extra pair of shorts with the shirt." She lifted the corner of it showing the plaid of some poor man's boxers she probably snatched off the clothesline.

"Good. I guess." He tried to make it sound casual as possible, like he didn't care. _Because he didn't. Nope. Not at all._

"Well, I'm going to get another bucket." She grabbed at the handle.

"Sure. Be back quick."

"Whatever, Joel." Her ponytail waved as she slide out of the door.

It was a few moments before she came back and her hair and the back of her shirt was wet. She must have washed up out there too.

She brought the bucket to him and dropped down in front of him. In the light of lamps, her hair was even redder.

'What are you doing?"

"Come on, let me see it."

_It. What the hell-_

"Your arms." She cut into his train of thought.

"I'm fine."

"Bullshit."

"I'm-" She got a hold of his cuff and pulled up. To reveal his forearms. There were dark, matted with scratches, blood, and dirt. She had a rag and began to clean the old wounds that he didn't have enough bandages to cover. She gently ran the rag over the worst. The water was cold, but it felt nice after the initial shock.

She worked quietly and he didn't know what to say to the girl in front of him. She moved to his other arm and winced as she cleaned. She looked more in pain than he was. She did not meet his eyes as she washed.

"If you did get bit. I doubt we would know." She was cleaning one of the worse gashes.

"We would know."

She shook her head and and wrung the rag out. The water wasn't clean anymore. Her rag touched his cuff and would slide back down to his wrist and back. After a moment, she dropped the rag in the bucket.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Fine." She slide forward and caught the buttons of his shirt. She got two before he caught her wrists in his hand.

"What do you think you are doing, girl?" His voice dropped.

"I wanted to look at your ribs." Her lip twisted. "Joel. Let go. It hurts."

"Fine." He let go. He took off his shirt before she could. Now he couldn't met her eyes.

"Shit Joel!" Cold fingers traveled over his sides. Even in the lamplight he knew it was pretty ugly. Splash. He hissed as the cold rag was brought to sensitive skin. She made her rounds as he wished he was anywhere but on the bucket. Never ending, cold pain.

She made her way to his back. He froze as her thumb dug into his back and made small circle. _Shit, that still feels good. _The girl was made him sit straighter as she traveled up and down his dropped the rag in the bucket and soon her thumbs worked into every knot she could find.

It took a moment, but he managed to say, "You really don't have to do that."

"It's fine. I used to have to do this for my mom."

_At least it was for a parent... _"I'm sure some boy in Boston would have loved this- OW."

She could make it hurt too, but quickly soothed the muscle before he could tell her to stop.

"No boyfriends. I mean I had guy friends, but I always hung out in a group. It was too easy to get bit or for some guy to try and uh.. you know."

"Yeah. That was a problem." Tess had her fair share of run-ins. "Surprised you made it through- OW" She did that damn thing with her elbow again and quickly soothed it.

"If you haven't noticed. I am pretty smart for my age."

"I know." He laughed. "It is just a bad world out there."

"I can take of myself with a little help." She gave his shoulders squeeze and continued to work deeper into the muscle.

"Hrmph." He muttered as her rubbing got to intense. He shifted to move her to another spot.

"This one looks really bad." She was examining were a hunters pipe had caught him at the last run-in.

"I'm fine."

"I know you are." She reassured him like he was the kid. Her thumbs went down along his shoulder blades and she hit that...spot._ Damn_. She went back to the tops of his shoulder and stuck her knuckles in the tendons that ran up to neck to his shoulders and back. She dug in deeper. He was lost in the pain and pleasure of it all.

She moved in front of him still touching what she could rubbing lighter circles.

She dropped back down in front of him. Ellie's hands slipped gently down over the ribs. Her fingers just stopping at the tops of his jeans before she let go.

"Can a broken rib kill you?"

He snorted. "No. You don't have to worry about me."

"It can't get infected?"

"Never heard of that happening." She was crouched down in front of him. The hem of her shirt/dress was almost touching the floor. She touched his knee and he met her eyes. She was looking up at him with her lips pursed.

"I'm fine."

"I know." Ellie was still staring up at Joel, but her green eyes weren't quite meeting his. She was really looking at his nose, or his … mouth. _Fuck. _His leg jerked, but she took no notice.

The list began to race in his mind. The girl was pretty much on her knees in front of him, staring at him, not wearing a bra (which wasn't saying much, but was a point). She just rubbed his back. _Shit. Shit. Shit. _He took a deep breath to gain control of his thoughts.

She leaned upwards. _Shit. _It was like her little goodnight kiss, but in a whole other direction. She was pretty in a spunky kind of –_Shit. _He couldn't think like that. He had to protect her, not…

He put a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"We should… go eat…" His voice was way too deep.

They were still for a second until she pulled away. "Sure." Ellie looked down at the ground. It hurt to see that look. She bit her lip before she slipped away, taking her bucket.

He stood up. He needed air. Maybe that water. Time. He couldn't believe that he almost fell into that and would let it happen.

"I'll go see if I can round something up. You stay here." His voice was still husky.

"Okay." She didn't protest, and that scared him a little.

"Maybe after dinner you can read me something from one of your books." Ellie abandoned the bucket and already began to dig through her bag.

She nodded, and his heart broke a little. He didn't want it to go any further, did he? Watching her turn away was too much for him to take.

He moved. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "We'll talk about it later, okay?"

She ducked, and her hair shook a yes.

He returned to the door. "Now wait here this time." He didn't wait for her to reply. He was out the door in the late afternoon light. He had a few hours. His chest burned. It was hard to define the girl. At first she was just cargo, but she became the girl he cared for.

Joel moved toward the woods. He knew they wouldn't talk about it. He was as much of a liar as she was a thief; at least they knew each other pretty well.

A/N: Next from Ellie. I know Joel had the green light, but I don't think he could do it without thinking it through first. Please R&R. I will try to keep the chapters coming and comments will put a fire under me.


	5. Island Dreams

Island dreams

A/N: To quote Ellie "Holy Shit." Thank you so much for the comments! Well back with Ellie for this chapter. It is a little different but I had fun.

She heard voices mumbling, but she ignored it. She was safe and warm and no one was going to interrupt that.

The sky above was electric blue and the sand was hot beneath her feet. The ocean sparkled and ebbed and flowed. It wasn't even scary like that. All that water, but their was no way she could drown. A vacation. A real one, at a hotel much fancier than the one in Pittsburgh (even though Joel protested. He didn't need anything that fancy.) This place was perfect. It had a library with books and comics and it even had a coffee machine that worked. Joel could get as much as he wanted. And the FOOD! It was everywhere like it used to be. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack.

It was nice, like heaven if there is such a thing. This place was even better than the backdrop because it was her and Joel. Sure, things had been weird since the building thing, but they worked it out.

"Ellie." He nudged her. "Want to take a walk?"

"Don't you get enough of that?"

He laughed. "Get off your ass."

"Fine." He pulled her out of the lounging chair and they made their way along the shore.

The water lapped at her feet as they walked. He took her hand in his. They strolled. The sun burned a little and her arms were beginning to freckle. But it felt so nice (even her bite seemed to vanish in the perfectness of it all).

"Joel?"

"Hm." They stopped and he turned to face her. He looked good in his bathing suit. He was solid as a rock with muscle. Sure, he had gray in his hair, beard and chest hair, but it fit. It made him rugged. Though the best part was how he looked down at her.

"Can we stay here?"

"I don't think I have enough money for that..." He joked as he looked her up and down checking out her plum colored bikini. "I wish we could."

She touched his chest. It was tanned, not beaten and so warm under hands.

"Hey, baby" He leaned in and nibbled on her ear. "I am getting a little hot. Want to check out the room again?"

She giggled like the girls in her mom's books. "I think it will be hot there too."

"We have air conditioning..." He purred.

"Sounds perfect. Lead the way."

The room was suite with large king bed covered in fluffy white pillows, a 32 inch flat screen T.V. with any movie you could think of, a bathroom with a tub big enough to fit three (But this was not like her mom's books. Nobody would be joining them). The whole room was decadent, clean and cold. (The thermostat must have been on 60).

She giggled as his arm when under her knees and he carried her into the room like bride. She rest her head on his shoulder as he cradled her. He laid her gently on the bed and threw most of the pillows to the ground.

"I hate these stupid things. They get in the way."

"I love those stupid things. They are soft and fluffy and I don't have one at home."

"Ellie."

"Joel."

"You can sleep with all of them when we are done."

She laughed. "I'd rather be sleeping with you."

He leaned down and kissed her (like really kissed her). He lengthened the kiss and soon his tongue touched her lips. He lifted off cutting it short and she was breathless.

"Fuck."

"What did I say about the language?" His eyes twinkled.

"Fuck." She repeated.

He laughed and moved more on the bed. He slide between her legs and leaned in for a kiss.

This time she could feel his whole chest to hers. Her hands felt up his ribs and he used an arm to prop himself up and the other touched her side. His fingers stroked and slide under her.

He lifted up taking her top with him.

"JOEL!" She thumped her leg against him as she covered her boobs.

He grinned and dropped it to the floor. "We're even." He leaned in and got a peck on her mouth before she could protest. He leaned into her ear "They look like they got bigger since the last time-OW!".

She hit him hard and the bastard laughed. His hands on the move again.

When he leaned up she noticed he wasn't wearing his shorts anymore... "I think I could say the same thing about you." She studied his um... rifle.

"We are uneven again."

"JOEL!"

He tugged at the sides of the bikini bottom that were tied together. Now there was nothing was between them. He rubbed his hand under her and digged his fingers in and out. His fingers were already wet as he slid further up and touched a nerve that felt good.

"Fuck."

"I think it is safe to say you want too."

"Yeah." She wiggled in the sheets. She did.

He rubbed his hand down his length using her moisture to get ready.

He slide up and and soon they were grinding. He dropped low while keeping up the rhythm to kiss her mouth, cheek, ear, and he got to her neck and began to suck.

"Hm Joel."

He began to use teeth as he pumped.

"Joel. That hurts..." She muttered. It did begin to hurt. It burned like he was pulling the skin off of her.

She pushed but now he was so heavy feeling and her heart raced. He stopped moving right and was irregular. His nails dug into her sides pinning her. The room wasn't so bright and happy. There were spots on the walls and smelled rotten. He made a gasping noise and clickclickchu-

_FUCK!_ Ellie sat straight up in the bed. _Oh shit. Oh shit. _She slipped the hand that was between her legs and brought it to her neck. Everything was still there-_ GROSS. _Her fingers were still wet. She wiped them on the sheet and looked around the strange room.

"Joel?" she called. A shiver ran through her. "Joel!" she yelled, louder.

"Ellie!" He opened the door with a baseball bat full of nails in hand. "You okay?"

"Where are we?"

"Tommy's. You fell asleep on the couch and I brought you here." He moved closer and his weapon dropped slightly. "But you are okay?"

"I had a bad dream."

"Oh." His weapon was now fully down. He looked her over and seemed to make up his mind. He sat down on the bed next to her. "It was a just a dream."

"But a clicker got me and I was dying." He didn't need to know the rest.

"It was just a dream, baby girl. Everyone has them sometimes. It isn't real, and you are okay." She slid closer to him and put his arm around her. Her heart was still pounding. "It's okay. I'm here," he soothed. He dropped a kiss on her hair like he had been doing since the shed incident.

"Why don't you get out of bed? Maria is cooking. Go help her and learn something useful." Ellie slapped at his leg, but it didn't mean much.

"Okay."

He gave her a squeeze. "I'll let you get dressed in peace."

Ellie looked down. Apparently she took off her jeans last night. _Thank God I didn't take off my underwear. _Her cheeks still burned and he kissed her hair again. "Hurry up." He got off the bed.

A/N: Please R&R! I figured this was a bit of a breather chapter after the last and I wanted to have fun with it. I was going for the romance-novel-over-the-top just because I think that is how most 14 year old girls see sex. Now I know I try and update daily, but I have to check up with the game and I want to get back to some plot being mixed in. Also, I have class. So, don't worry I will be posting as soon as I can and it will be within the week. It will be longer next time. I just wanted a break, and I really have to go play the game now.

Thanks again for all the comments.


	6. A Real Vacation

A real vacation

A/N: I deviate from the game because who in their right mind would give up the chance to have some food and a decent bed for a night! Sorry, that so unrealistic of the game. Anyway, I figured the last chapter was interesting, but I wanted to get on track.

I wanted to say thanks to MasterHollow , MegaDiary123, GaLenMoOn the last chapter shook my courage, but I am glad you got the joke and really kept me going.

_Jesus_. Joel returned to his seat back at the table. "She had a bad dream," he told Tommy and Maria. They looked relieved, but honestly, Joel didn't care about them in that moment. He just wanted to catch his breath. The last few days had been hard on him. What happened at the shed was exhausting. The last twenty miles were the same: they didn't talk about it. She started out a little quietly, but things went back to normal for them. They would talk here and there. Then there was the ranch. His head hurt again. _The damn ranch. What the hell was I thinking? _He knew the answer. He tried to push her away after seeing Tommy, and that picture. He had a lot to lose if he kept her. Somehow, it seemed easier to push her on someone else and not know the ending of the story than to lose her.

_Shit_. He didn't like his past meeting the present.

"Do you like your eggs sunny side up?" Maria asked.

"Sounds good." Joel watched the blonde woman. His brother was like him in a lot of ways. They liked blondes, brunettes and r– he didn't want to finish that. He studied the table. Tommy had really set up a little homestead and seemed so determined. _It will go to hell, too,_ Joel thought. He studied the table. It was way too much shit for one guy to handle.

…..-...-...-...

The day before, Joel's original plan to keep going came to a halt. They had not even made it ten minutes from the town when Tommy followed. He looked as awkward as Joel felt as he begged Joel to at least spend a night in town. "It's only right," he muttered. "After the dam… just a night. Then you can go."

Joel didn't know what to say. Then, Ellie's stomach growled and he knew the answer.

"Fine. Just a night."

"Maybe we can watch a movie?" Ellie asked. She sounded much better since the incident at the ranch. They were okay again.

Tommy laughed. "Sure. I have seen 'em all. Tonight's movie is really good."

"I don't know about a movie," Joel said.

"Don't be a killjoy, brother."

"If you're tired, then we don't have to." She squeezed Joel's sides, her voice quiet like she was trying to lay low and not make him mad.

_That's my fault, _he thought. He lightly squeezed her arm. "We can go watch it. I'll just sleep through it, anyway."

"But everyone will run away thinking we have a runner loose."

"Ellie."

She nuzzled into his shoulder. She was so warm.

"So, it's settled." Tommy turned his horse. "This way."

They were welcomed into Jackson. _Joy._

"_You are not my daughter, and I am sure as hell not your father." _The words echoed through his head. _It's true, _he thought. His chest ached a little. She was not a daughter. These feelings burned in his chest and he wanted to to push her away again. _Let her be someone else's problem._ But he couldn't let her go. This girl did something to him, and he wished it was in a fatherly way.

_She's just scared. You're the only one who stuck around. _A voice in his mind ate up his thoughts. That had to be it. She didn't want to be with a grumpy old man like him; she just didn't want to be alone in a strange place.

They traveled through the armed gates. "Wow," Ellie said. The town was eerie. It was like nothing had happened, with houses and lights. Maybe Tommy had a good idea for once.

"Here's my place. We can leave the horses in the stables and I will take you two to the community center." The stable was pretty nice, and they had over twenty horses in the barn. All of them seemed pretty well-fed.

The town got nicer. The community center was a cafeteria with tables and benches, full of adults and children alike. A projector was being hooked up in the back.

"What are we watching?" Ellie asked. She had become Joel's shadow, hovering closely.

"Men in Black," Tommy said as he took a seat. "You can sit here or on the floor. They spread out blankets and pillows. Oh, we had a potluck, so grab a plate and eat up."

Ellie tugged. "I think we will take the front row seats."

Tommy smiled at him knowingly.

"Alright."

The pair sat on one of the blankets. Joel snagged a pillow and he was hers as they they watched the movie projected on the wall. The room was dark except for the screen, and it was so strange to be watching a movie again (even if this movie was old when the outbreak happened). Ellie stared at the screen like she found God. _Oh Lord, she will never go to Denver._ The food plate she filled for both of them was resting on her stomach. She picked at it as she stared.

The people around them still talked and shushed each other. The little kids around would quote lines as they happened. Apparently, this was one of their favorites.

Joel pet Ellie's hair. She took her eyes off the alien-splattering action to look at him.

"So who was Winston anyway? I thought you said you didn't have a boyfriend." So much happened at the dam and at the ranch that he didn't have time to ask.

"He wasn't. We were just friends."

"You friendzoned the poor guy." He added after a second, "I didn't know you liked the military."

"Shut up. He was cool. He gave me riding lessons and always had a little extra food."

"Yep. Poor guy."

"Shhhhhh. You're going to miss the good parts," she hissed. Even in the reflection of the light of the screen, he could tell she was going red.

"How do you even know there is a good part coming up?"

"Shut up, Joel."

He pet her again. _Silly girl. _He was glad Winston was just a "friend." He leaned back to watch the movie.

After that, they played cards at Tommy's. He couldn't manhandle Tommy into a game of poker, but spades sufficed. They played in pairs and, just to make sure no cheating happened, Joel was paired with Maria. They played until the clock hit midnight.

"Ellie?" The girl was laying down on the couch, cards still in hand.

"Hm?" Her eyes cracked open.

"Your go."

"Oh." She laid down a 5 of hearts and 4 of spades: not even close to any move. Her eyes closed again.

Joel laughed, gently took the cards from her, and laid them on the table. "I think the game's over."

"We have another room. It's on the left, after the bathroom. You can lay her down there."

"The couch is fine for us." Joel was not going to impose any more than he had already.

"Come on. The couch will kill your back if you let it. The bed has clean sheets," Tommy chimed in.

"Fine." _You two are not going to drop it until I do it, are you? _Joel put an arm under her knees and cradled her back. He made his way to the room and laid her on the bed. He tugged at the sheets and covered her up.

"She's cute." Maria was standing in the doorway arms crossed.

"Yeah." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Let's go back to the living room. I have some questions for you."

"Yes, Ma'am." _Oh jeez, I'm in trouble._

He didn't lie down next to her until it was damn near two in the morning.

…..-...-...-...

Now, Joel sat at the breakfast table after she scared the shit out of him. His heart hurt at seeing her that scared, even if it was a dumb dream.

A plate was placed in front of him.

Ellie joined them at the table. She looked calm, even with her hair was sticking up like a bird's feathers. He didn't have the heart to tell her. Tommy just shook his head and continued to eat.

"What's that?" She inspected his food.

"Eggs."

"From what?"

"Chickens."

"You can eat those?"

"Yep."

"I'll pass."

"Just try it."

Maria put a plate in front of Ellie with toast and some bacon. It looked like a face, like that would make it better to eat.

"Go on," Joel urged.

She took the toast like he had and copied his moves. Apparently, it was passable because she barely breathed between bites of food. _We might have to work on table manners one day._ Only after she cleaned her plate did she finally ask, "What's the plan? Are we leaving soon?"

"No," Joel answered. "I talked it over with them. We can stay for a bit. I'm going to help Tommy with some stuff and you can go see what a chicken looks like." Tommy had left the kitchen to get ready for the day.

"Um, is that a good idea? The last time we separated,"

"You'll be fine. Just stick by Maria."

There was a questioning look in her eyes, and he knew what it was. "I won't leave without you. I promise." That look remained in place. She didn't buy it one bit. "I mean it." He thought for a second. "You can take some of my guns or lock up my bag, if you've got to have some proof."

That satisfied her. "We'll lock it all up. Maria, do you got a storage closet?" She glanced back. "Better yet, a safe, because he can use a shiv to open anything."

Maria smiled. "I know a place. Don't worry."

"Cool," Ellie chirped happily.

"Ellie, go help her with the dishes." Joel pushed his plate to her. She made a face, but took it without making a scene.

"Okay." She joined Maria at the sink. Maria washed while Ellie dried.

Joel got up and went to the living room to grab his stuff. Tommy was almost at the door.

"Joel?"

"Hm."

"Bring the bag here." _Shit. _He wasn't going to leave her. He just didn't like to be knew his luck.

"Fine. Lord, you are going to be the death of me, I swear." He dropped the bag by her feet. "Happy?"

She nodded. "Lean down."

He did as he was told. _What do you want now? _She wiped at his beard. "There. All clean." They were frozen for second. She was smiling at him and all he could do was stare at her as she leaned up on her tiptoes and pecked him on the cheek. "Don't do anything stupid." He was right; she was a weird kid.

"I'll try," he muttered, still looking down at the girl. She turned back to the sink, standing tall and proud. She could be a cocky bitch sometimes.

A/N: Anyway, I figured I would give you a good update. The next chapter is a Ellie one. Oh I apologize in advance if it take me a day or two. I am not abandoning it I just have A.P. Training.


	7. Girls' Day Out

Chapter 7 Girls' day out

A/N: Hey thanks for the support and comments! I Thanks too all my reviewers: Especially, GaleonMoon, megadiary123, SupahMan14 and Fakeasmile and Talath Rana. I love to see comments like those. I know my Joel is demanding, but it fits him. He likes to give orders around here. Anyway back to an Ellie chapter

The door slammed, leaving the women in the house.

"Those two are something else," Maria slipped Ellie the last dish to dry, "but they are good men. They can just be a little–"

"Bossy."

Maria's smile widened. "A little bit, but I that's what I love about Tommy. He wants to take care of things." She said his name so happily, like he was her favorite thing in the whole world.

Ellie placed the towel on the counter. "Joel thinks he owns everything." _Well, not everything, but once it was "his" he liked to tell it to go clean dishes._

"Men. What do you do with them?" Maria put her arm around Ellie's shoulders. She gave her a little squeeze. "Come on, we gotta check on the livestock and on some people. Then we can do some fun stuff."

"Cool." Ellie had to admit, Maria was cool in the same way that Marlene was cool. She was a lot like Mom. Her stomach fell a little. She could almost see the same auburn hair and that smile. Her mom would have loved this place.

A little shake brought her back. "Here, let's hide his stuff in the shed. It has a lock and it has so much stuff in it he'll never find it." Maria waved her hand in the air like she was batting the possibilities away.

"Sounds good." Ellie tried to push the image of her mother out of her mind. She didn't want to be like Joel and forget everything about her past, but the wound was still a little fresh.

After locking up the collateral, they checked out the farm. It was a large, fenced-in plot that was subdivided to accommodate a variety of animals. Ellie tried to take it all in. They had everything! It was like old MacDonald built a survivor colony. "What's that?" she asked.

"A pig."

"Oh." The fat, pink animal dug deeper into the mud. They looked a lot cleaner in the books they had for little kids back at school.

"That's a chicken," Maria nudged towards the yellow and reddish birds before she threw in a bucket of half-eaten food for the pigs. _They eat trash?_ Ellie thought.

She moved to look at the chickens. _Those are some big birds._ She licked her lips. The best you could get in Boston were crows and pigeons. "When do you get to eat the birds?" she asked. Joel said something about fried chicken in his food-and-drinks-Joel-misses list.

"When they stop laying eggs." Maria went to give the birds something that she shook out with her hand.

"Tomorrow, you can feed them if you want."

"Um," Ellie played with her sleeve. "We might be leaving tomorrow. Joel wa–"

Maria waved it off. "Don't worry about him. Tommy will keep him busy."

Ellie smiled. _You probably gave him one hell of a honey-do list._ "We really do have to get to the Fireflies."

Maria blew air out of the side of her mouth. "They waited this long."

The woman made a point, and it was nice here. "Are you guys going to have another movie night?"

"Absolutely. Tonight is free, but in a couple of days it'll be TV night. We got some DVD sets of a couple series and it's cool."

"Series?"

"It's a really long movie broken into hour-long segments."

"Like a comic book?"

"Sort of."

"Cool. Do you have sci-fi?"

Maria leaned on the fence. "We might have something you like. You'll just have to see. Now, we'd better start making our rounds."

The pair went from house to house and visited each family. As they passed the building that Maria said was the school, Ellie finally said, "You really are the head bitch here." It was clear from the way that she talked.

Maria laughed. "My dad started this place, so I kind of am." She winked.

"Your town is really awesome," she paused, "except for one thing."

"Huh?" Maria's forehead wrinkled. "What's wrong?"

"The school's got to go."

Maria snorted and gave Ellie a push. "Sorry, it stays. Besides, by the time Joel circles back, I think you will be too old for our school."

"Damn. That's a shame." She pushed Maria back.

"Hopefully, Joel will finally want to stop and try to make a normal life."

Ellie was confused by what the woman meant. _He made a home in Boston. _She said it like Joel had a choice in his job. "I thought Tommy told him to go last time."

"What?" Maria pulled away slightly. "Trust me, it didn't go down like that."

A sneer formed on Ellie's mouth and she couldn't get the taste out of her mouth. Joel was known to lie by omission, but she didn't believe he would bother to tell her a lie like that. The women stood in silence, and all Ellie wanted was to go get his bag and tell him she was ready to go to Denver. This lady was not like her mother.

"Look, I didn't mean it that way. I heard a lot about Joel before I ever saw his face. He makes his own trouble." She took a deep breath. "Tommy would never mean it. He still loves his brother. He would love to have him here."

Ellie's fist unclenched. "Yeah. I don't know if Joel would like it here." She wasn't sure if that was true or not, but she doubted he would want a sister-in-law who hated his guts just from some dumb stories. _You don't even know him._

"Well, I hope he settles, if not for him, for you." What he said at the ranch echoed in her head. He was not her father, and she didn't know what that made them.

"Joel didn't talk about Tommy."

"I bet he didn't talk about Sarah or ex-wife, either."

"What?"

"He was married. He knocked up a girl when he was in high school and did the 'right' thing. It didn't work out, but he got Sarah."

"He didn't mention that."

"That's Joel." Maria waved it off. "Come on, we aren't done with the tour." The blonde woman led the way to where a group of women were sitting, talking, and cooking. It was strange to see so many happy people. Ellie felt so alone.

-...-...-

They had lunch with the community. It was stew with canned vegetables: the kind you canned yourselves. It was better than the twenty-year-old stuff Ellie was used to eating, but she didn't even notice the food because Tommy and Joel never came. Tommy just walkie-talkied Maria saying that they would eat on site. Some guys were bringing food out to the crew.

"What are they doing?"

"They're working on the fence."

"Oh."

"They both used to work in construction. They'll be fine." Maria patted her hand. "Eat."

"I'm learning all kinds of things about him today." She took the spoon and stirred the stew. It was way thicker than any soup they had at home. Maria turned to look at her, studying the teen for a long moment.

"When we are finished, we will head back to the house. I have something special that you will love."

"Sure." Ellie stirred the soup one more time before taking a sip. _Damn. _It was good.

-...-...-

"Here we go. It's old, but if you shake it good it still works fine." Maria dropped a box on the coffee table and took a seat on the opposite side of the couch.

"What is it?" Ellie took off the lid. "Nail polish!" She had about six bottles of pink, red, blue, black, and a few more shades of pink.

"Yep. Tommy got it for me on one of his trips."

Ellie was shaking the bottles, checking out the colors they turned.

"That blue one would look cute."

Ellie nodded.

"Here." Maria took the girl's hand. "I'll paint yours and you paint mine. I always mess up my left hand."

"Sounds great."

Maria smiled and went to work. The blue was good; it was neon and bright.

"So, why don't you and Tommy have kids?"

"We are trying. Just haven't had any luck," Maria confessed. Ellie regretted the question.

"I'm sure it will happen."

"Yeah. When the time comes, it will come." She started to paint the other hand. "So, is there a boy back home? That Winston?"

_Why was everyone worried about him? _"Nope. I'm single and loving life."

Maria laughed. "That will change. You are very cute. Joel will have to beat them down with a stick."

"If he keeps me around," Ellie muttered.

"True, but I think he likes you. You should have seen him run this morning." Maria started on the second coat. "Well, for future reference, we have a lot of cute guys around here that are around your age."

Ellie smiled. "Don't tell him. We might never come back."

"Hell. He will be the father-in-law that all father-in-laws will aspire to be."

"He isn't my dad. He doesn't want to be."

"All the same." Maria finished with the top coat. She touched Ellie's cheek. "We always need another woman around here. I hope you do come back."

Ellie nodded and blew on her nails. She couldn't imagine not living with Joel. It was nice here but…

"What color do you want?" she asked.

"She likes pink one," Tommy said as he kicked off his boots.

"Hey, darling," Maria chirped.

Joel trooped in. He wasn't frowning, which was a good sign. "Ellie?"

"Hey, Joel!" Ellie shook the bottle.

"Hm…" Joel looked at them and shook his head. His face said it all. _Ugh. Girl stuff._

"We cleaned out the fence line and got that going. They fixed up the back armory," Tommy clapped Joel on the back, "and we got that part of the lake sandbagged off with a little help."

"I think your husband is trying to kill me."

"At least it was for a good cause," Maria said, like it was most reasonable thing in the world. "I'll start on dinner when we're done here." She and Tommy kissed.

"It's fine," Joel said as he took a seat. He watched Ellie for a second. "Was she good?"

"I was fine, Joel. I only got in three fights, and the last guy was really asking for it."

He raised an eyebrow.

She broke into a smile. "I took the grand tour of Jackson and hung out with Maria. No infected, hunters, or military. Just hanging around the town."

"Good." He leaned back in his chair.

"I'm gonna hit the shower," Tommy yelled from down the hall.

The girl continued to paint Maria's nails while Joel rested his eyes.

-...-

"Fuck yeah! Pay up!" Ellie danced around the table. She kicked Maria and Tommy's asses at this game. Joel caught her by the loops on her jeans and pulled her back down to Earth. Despite his "I'm-Mister-Grumpy" attitude, she could see a little smile at the corners of his mouth.

"Don't brag." He left his arm around her waist. After a beat he added, "So much." She slid closer. They were all on the floor surrounding the coffee table, but it was comfortable and cozy.

"Your girl is a card shark," Tommy said, raking in the cards.

"Why did you think I wanted to partner with her?" Joel said it with a hint of pride. Ellie glowed.

"I think we should switch, then."

"Hey!" Maria joined in, catching her husband in the chest lightly with the back of her hand. "You were the one that blew that last round."

Joel laughed his deep rumble. "We ain't switching. She's mine. Tommy, you'd better get your head in the game. I don't think Maria likes a loser."

Ellie found herself wiggling closer to Joel's side. It was nice to be good at something. _She's mine._ The words rang in her head.

Maria got up. "I'll be right back." She ran off to the kitchen. "Just deal my hand!" she called as she looked for something. "Ta-da. I know I saved some for a good reason." She danced in with a bottle and glasses. There were only three. Ellie frowned. _I'll be fine drinking the air, _she thought.

"A little aloe for the burn after losing?" Joel asked as he took the glass.

"A little."

Tommy read the label. "In a couple glasses, I don't think we'll care who is winning, anyway."

The adults laughed. "Babe, why don't you hook up the mp3 player to the speakers? Then it will really be a party." Off Maria went, fiddling with a box. Soon, they had music.

"I gotta get me one of those," Joel said. The music blasted was country music, like what they had in the truck.

"You need speakers and power to charge the battery on the iPod," Tommy said, pouring the amber liquid. "She can't have just a little?" He motioned toward Ellie.

"Finally, someone cares!" Ellie got up to get a glass, but Joel caught her again by the jeans and sat her ass back on the ground. "But –"

"She's fine," Joel assured them. He downed his glass, and the others did the same.

_They didn't even take the time to taste it! _thought Ellie. "Jerk," she muttered. "Fun-sucking jerk."

The adults laughed, even the "jerk." "If that's how you feel," he purred in her ear, "I might just have to remember that."

She wiggled around. _ didn't mean it like that, _she reminded herself. "Can we start the game?"

The cards were dealt and the adults drank. It became a game: the losing pair would down their drinks while the victor got to smirk. (Ellie was left to drinking some water out the tap. For some reason, it wasn't as much fun). Joel, to her surprise, put his glass in front of her. "Last game for tonight," Tommy said, shuffling the deck. Ellie pushed the glass back toward Joel.

"Huh? I thought you would at least want a taste."

"What?"

He took the drink and drank two-thirds of it. "That should do it." He offered it again. "Just hold your breath–"

"Joel, I got it." She took the glass from him.

"–and drink it as fast you can. It burns, and it's got a kick like horse."

"Whatever." She took his advice and downed it all in one gulp. _Holy shit._ He wasn't just blowing smoke; that shit was eating up her throat. _You drink this for fun? _She coughed trying to keep it down. Tommy and Maria laughed and Joel had that dumb "I-told-you-so" smile. Ellie shoved his chest and he just absorbed the blow.

"I think we have had enough." Maria stood, stretching. "It's been fun boys, Ellie."

Tommy stood, joining her. "I'll make sure she gets to bed. Goodnight, you two."

Joel didn't move. "Goodnight."

The pair went to bed. Tommy goosed Maria's ass as they went up the stairs. Joel coughed a laugh. Ellie's mouth still burned. _Water…_

"I think that stupid river water tasted better than that."

"Oh, baby-girl, it's not that bad," he soothed. She was pretty sure he was drunk, but it was nice. _Really, three sheets to the wind kind of drunk?_

"Do you want to play another game?"

"A man has to know his limits. I'm folding." He offered his palms like waving a white flag.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Her voice was soft. It felt like a weird question.

He took his time, thinking about it.

"Have you ever done the Two Step?"

"The what?" She wrinkled her nose.

"It's a dance." He got up, using the couch for support. "I'll teach you if you are interested."

Ellie followed him and steadied him. He was leaning to the left pretty hard. "I think you are too drunk for this." _Yep, he was way too gone for this._

"Hell no. As Tess said, this is when I dance the best." He straightened with pride.

"I think she was lying to you."

He laughed and pulled her close. "Okay." He jumped into his lesson. _So, we are really going to try this. _He took her hand in his and the other went around her waist. "Step to the right and hop, and then back. It's like two steps forward and one back, and you go in a circle." He showed her.

"This is a real dance?"

"Yes. It is now. Pay attention. It can get… complicated."

"When you are drunk."

"Whatever, Ellie." She couldn't really keep up, but he didn't care. He was leading them in circles in the living room, and when he felt like it he would spin and dunk her. The song ended a little too soon.

"Not bad." He grinned at her.

"You're still drunk."

"You're not bad at it, baby." He still held her to his chest. The next song was a rock song, and she wasn't listening; all she heard was her heartbeat and their breathing. "I think I can go to bed without too much fuss now." He leaned his forehead to hers. _Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, _she prayed.

He let go of her hand. "Come on." He left the other hand on her back and led her to the room where she woke up.

"You slept there, too?"

He gave her a funny look. "Where did you think I slept? I'm not sleeping on the couch."

"Oh."

The made their way to the bed. He let Ellie go so he could stumble to sit on the bed. He unlaced his boots as she slipped off her shoes without sitting. _How much are you going to take off? _Joel disappointed her as he just laid down in all of his clothes like he did most nights. _Great._ He stretched out on his back and left his arm out to act as a pillow.

She flicked off the switch on the wall and joined him with all of her clothes on. _Great._ "Night, Joel."

"Night, Ellie."

She leaned back to kiss his cheek, and to her surprise, they miscalculated. She landed on the corner of his mouth. She pulled away, feeling the heat. _Shit._ Joel smiled and pulled her in close. Within seconds he was snoring like a runner.

_Fucking hell._ She really didn't want to have another dream like the one last night, but shit.

A/N: That was way longer than I planned. Well I got a little time today, so I wanted to get to work. I will see what I can do tomorrow. Again thanks for your support and R&R. Like I have said it really lights a fire under me to keep this up. I will try and post as soon as possible.


	8. Afterglow

Chapter 8 Afterglow

OH MY GOD! Thank you all so much. I love a posting at 11 o'clock at night and waking up to 10+ comments. I literally bounced to breakfast. I have to give my shout outs to Galenmoon, ledendaryswordsman (You're back!), Talath Rana, and new comer Jadzia Cee your comments made my day! I had a lot of fun just letting them be human and resting.

We are back on Joel, let's lock and load.

It was one hell of a break, if Joel could call it a break. Tommy made him tear through that town like he was Bob the Fucking Builder. They worked on the fence, went to the plant, sided a house, looked at some busted pipes, cussed at some busted pipes, went back to the plant, built a table and chairs, fixed a roof, re-fixed the roof after Tommy stepped in it, built a shed, fixed the animals' cages, went back to that house that needed siding, talked about making a quick run out of the gates for food, and it was just shit after shit after shit.

Joel's head hurt. After the chores were finished at the end of the day, he finally got to sit down. Then, the party started. They went to shows, played cards, drank, and just bullshitted. Ellie loved it. _God, she glowed._ Even though his back ached and his head hurt, he was just a bit happy that they stayed.

The light streamed into the windows, blinding him, and his only defense was to throw his free arm up over his eyes and groan. Goddamn, his head hurt. _That was some good shit last night, _he thought, but he was paying for it now.

Ellie whined next to him. His arm was so past numb that he couldn't move his fingers.

"Ellie," he said with a rough voice. His throat burned worse in the morning than it did when the whiskey went down. "Shit. Baby, go get some water."

She moaned. He bumped his leg against hers, urging her to get a move on.

"Go get it yourself," she mumbled. She might have had a point, but his head throbbed way too much to even consider it. He gave her a gentle nudge out of the bed.

"Fuck!" She staggered. "You fucking suck." She walked like clicker as she went to the door. "I'm _so_ going to spit in it."

"No, you won't."

"Don't test me."

Joel laughed. "I'll make it up to you later." She stumbled off toward the kitchen and all he could do was smile. _Good girl. _He wiggled his fingers, getting the blood to circulate. He was way too old to be drinking this much, but this was the first time in a long time that he could breathe. He didn't have to worry about infected or food, or anything other than Tommy's chore list. This old watch dog could finally take a nap.

Ellie came in and shoved the glass in his face.

"I hocked the biggest loogie I could."

"Bull." He took a sip and offered the glass back to her. Ellie finished it off and abandoned the glass on the nightstand. She dropped back into the bed on his arm. She snuggled in, cutting off the blood to his arm.

"My head hurts."

He used his free hand to rub her shoulder, returning all the massages she gave him. _Why did her head hurt?_

"This is your fault."

"Huh?" He rubbed a circle into the tendons of her upper back with his thumb.

"You gave me the stupid drink," she said, nuzzling into his forearm. His thumb froze.

_I did what, now? _He uncovered his eyes. He wouldn't have given her a drink. She was too young for that shit.

"You don't remember anything?" She stopped nuzzling, and his heart froze in his chest, literally skipping a beat. _Remember anything? _Those words held a lot of a weight.

After second he grumbled, "No." He took his hand back.

"Oh." She shifted away.

They both were silent for a long time. The question just burned in his mind. They must have done something else. _Something. _The images raced. Even drunk he wouldn't have done something _that_stupid. _How do I word thiswithout_… He had to use his years of experience and tact to put this in way that would not embarrass them any more. "Anything I need to know?" Honestly, he wanted more water because his mouth was so dry.

She took in a breath. "Nope. Nothing at all."

_Oh, Jesus. What the hell did I do? _"Ellie, in advance, I am sorry if I did anything wrong." _There. A goodblanket statement. _Yet, it didn't make him feel any better. All he could imagine was them buck naked. _Fuck. _He was still wearing all of his clothes. He was glad he could rule that out, but there was so much more that could have been done. _Wait. _He backed up to the image he'd tried to eradicate. He didn't know what bothered him more: the idea of having sex with her, or just not remembering any of it. _Jesus_. _I'm a pervert– a disgusting pervert. It's Ellie. I'm the adult and I would do that? She depends on me and I just want to–_

"It was nothing. We danced." Her voice cut through his thoughts and the desire to go dig a hole in the yard and die.

He let go of his breath and tried to lighten the mood. "Was I any good?" He didn't have her joke book, but it was worth a try.

"You can be smooth when you're drunk, but mostly you just stagger around."

Joel laughed and gave her a squeeze. "I don't smell bacon yet. I think we can risk sleeping in a little longer."

Ellie nodded and shifted closer. That was a yes. He took a breath and relaxed. He covered his eyes, but sleep didn't come_. I really have to stop drinking_.

-...-...-

They were there a week before they could finally make a quick exit.

"We'll see you next round, little brother." Joel pulled Tommy into a hug. Tommy was kind enough to give him the gear he wanted. A horse, food, water, and some bullets would be enough to take Joel and Ellie to Denver. They would need at least another month with the horse.

"It's been great. Don't be a stranger." Tommy hugged his brother back, then they pulled apart.

Maria wrapped her arm around Joel's back and kissed his cheek. "Take care of yourself and Ellie."

"I will." He squeezed her. She let him go and gave Ellie one more hug for the road.

"Please come back to see us."

"I'll convince him," Ellie promised.

"No, she won't." He just couldn't resist. The look the girls gave him was worth it. "Kidding. We will try after all this shit is over."

"Get on the horse before I kick your ass," Maria threatened.

He swung on and offered his arm down to Ellie. "See you around." He pulled the girl into the saddle with him. Her arms went right around his waist. He gave the horse a little nudge.

The pair left through the main gate and trotted down the road into the morning light.

-...-...

It was a little past ten before Ellie finally spoke. "This is so much better than walking."

Joel snorted. "You were pretty quiet back there. Sleeping?"

"Just day dreaming." Her grip loosened as she spread her arms. "Ugh." The horse swayed gently under them as they trotted along the road. "So, what's the next step?"

"Hm. We'll be good for a while. We can take Highway 28 and pick up 30. It goes straight into Denver. So, basically southwest."

"How long would this have taken in a car?"

"Six hours, or about that," he considered. It had been a while since he had to do that kind of thinking about cars.

"You could do it in less than a day! Damn."

"I know."

"That would have been so cool! I would've gone everywhere." She was leaning against his arm, looking down the road.

"Planes were even better." It would have been cool if she had seen airplanes. "They're like police helicopters, but they went long distances and carried way more people."

"Ever ride on one?"

"Once. I went to the Bahamas." That hurt. It was a late honeymoon– five years too late. Sarah came along on the trip. He frowned and tried to bury the thought.

"Those are islands, right?"

"Yep."

"Whatever happened to them?"

"How the hell would I know? Probably got infected." After the first night, he stopped caring about what happened.

"Really tanned, infected runners."

He pushed back on her, making her giggle. "I don't think we'll get to go back there, but that's fine. It was really expensive."

"I think we should go back to Jackson when things are done. We could get a house, and it's pretty safe. It would be way better than Boston or Pittsburgh or being in the woods," she said, looking around. "Besides, Tommy and Maria are cool."

"You really took a shine to her."

"She can be bitchy, but she's cool."

"Sounds like someone I know."

She slapped at his gut. "I guess that's a compliment."

"I don't know if I really want to go back," Joel confessed.

Ellie laughed. "You want to. You're just too proud to admit it."

"Hmph," he huffed. "Something like that."

"Well, think about it." She paused for a moment. "I would help with the animals. Maria showed me how to feed them all, and you could work with Tommy and still defend the town if you aren't tried of shooting at bandits. We could go watch the movies. Maybe we could even grab a few if we see them on our way back to Jackson. Then we can build a house, the old-fashioned kind, and paint it… blue. Yeah, blue would be cool. We could invite Tommy and Maria over with their kids they'll have by then."

"I see you've got plans." _Big, big plans. _It took him a moment to think about it. _A wife. She sounds like a wife. _"I think we should focus on the present."

Joel could feel her pout. "I know, but it's nice to have a little hope." Ellie whispered that last word, but he heard it. It was a dangerous word.

"Hope is a scary thing to have, Ellie."

"Psht. Not having hope is scary." She pressed her cheek to his back. "Whatever. Go be vigilant. I'll just be back here."

A/N: I got a chance to write in class. I half to catch back up in my game play and get my training stuff (I'm going for my Ap U.S. history teacher training). I will try and keep up with my pace and keep rolling (I have no idea how long this story is going to be...though I swear they will get it on. I just want to find a good place to put it in). Please R&R and thanks again.


	9. The Lone Ranger

Ch 9 The Lone Ranger

A/N: I got one strange comment on the story being a romance. Yes, I ship it. I know they have a age gap, but whatever floats your boat (No pun intended). I did have some other issues which I addressed in the end post. You guys are my community and this is the only place I get to talk about the game and the little world I made up in my head. I do love to address comments. Thanks to some of my favorites Galeonmoon, Serei, fakeasmile90, talath Rana and Jadzia Cee (To get on the shout out it is usually comments that made me think). To MoonGolem I responded at the bottom. Anyway, thanks for the reviews!

Here is the daily update! Ellie

Ellie sighed. The excitement of riding a horse gave way to boredom. It was no different than walking to Colorado, but her ass hurt more than her feet. She and Joel had been traveling for over three weeks, cutting straight across the land. _Ugh, _she mentally groaned. So far, there were hardly any people (or anything, for that matter). They had made decent time and found safe places to sleep, even though sleeping in fields left them exposed. Slowly but surely, the wide open fields with clumps of trees dotting the scenery gave way to forests. Mountains much taller than the ones they climbed back east were on the horizon.

She yawned. "Are we there yet?"

"Don't start that again."

She smiled as she pressed her cheek against his shirt. Joel radiated heat, which was a good thing. The weather grew colder. The night before, Ellie practically slept underneath him to keep warm. _Not in that kind of way. He made for a great blanket._

They were riding on a broken highway that ran alongside a river. Ellie woke up more as Joel pulled on the reins. The horse shook his head, but stopped. Joel climbed down first.

"Come on down, Ellie. We've got to give the poor horse a break." He offered his hand to help her down.

"I can get down," she said as she took his hand. It wasn't bad having a little help. Her legs felt like jelly. "Oh, my ass." She leaned forward, stretching. "Why does it hurt so much?"

"I think this is why people invented cars." Joel grimaced, stretching out as well.

The horse began to drink from the river. "You know, we never gave the horse a name."

Joel's forehead wrinkled. "It's got a name. 'Horse' is its name."

"That's not cool. His name could be 'Lightning' or," she pursed her lips, "or 'Buttercup.'" Ellie thought that "Buttercup" sounded cute and delicious.

"I don't think you need to get attached to the thing," he answered gruffly.

Ellie frowned. He had a point, even if it was a stupid point. "I won't get attached like that. It's a horse."

"This trip was supposed to end at the capitol building."

"Joel!" She stomped her foot to make a point. "You– eh!" Her mind raced for something to say, but he just shook his head and went to check on the horse._ You won that round_. "Fine. Is 'Horse' okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired." Joel pet the animal's brown mane. "We'll gave him a break and walk."

"Fine. My ass can't take much more of the saddle, anyway."

"Mine either." Ellie stopped to look at the aforementioned ass. She had been doing a lot more of that recently. Joel's back left pocket was slowly falling off. He let the horse finish, then tugged on its reins. Horse took the hint and nodded his head as they made the way to the road.

The pair walked in silence. The only sound was the scuffling of feet on gravel and the flies buzzing. _So many stupid bugs._ They were finally getting close to their destination. Trees were popping up in larger and larger clumps.

-...-...-

It was lunchtime when they passed another abandoned house on the road, then another, and another. They were getting close to some town. She could feel it. _Oh boy._ Joel pushed on, his shoulders hunched as he watched for signs of survivors. He stopped suddenly. _Shit. _Ellie stepped up, slipping her gun out of the back of her jeans.

"Put the gun back," he growled. He never liked to see her with the gun, but sometimes it was necessary. She lowered it a few inches, but didn't holster it.

Joel started walking again, creeping past another house as they reached the end of the suburb. He motioned to Ellie to keep going.

The hair on the back of her neck rose and she tried to shake off an uneasy feeling. Horse felt the same way. He tugged on the reins, trying to get Joel to get his ass in gear.

"Joel, we really need to go," Ellie nudged him.

"Get on the horse."

_Yep. You have the feeling, too_. _Shit's gonna hit._ She grabbed the saddle and lifted herself up. "Get on," she told him. He was still scanning the houses, looking for something. "Come on!" Desperation was sinking in, knotting her stomach.

He pulled himself up and put her in front. It was a rush of his presence. His thighs were outside of hers and his arms locked around her waist. _Shit, this shouldn't be that hot. _Joel gave Horse a kick and sent them trotting down the road. _This is a really bad time for this. _His shoulders covered hers and she could feel him breathing.

Then, she followed Joel's gaze to something moving. It slunk by a tree. _Stalker!_ "Joel! Stalker, on the left."

"I see it!" He tugged the reins slightly to the right and corrected their course.

She went for her gun again. If there was one, there would be more – many more. She lined up a shot at a runner.

"Put the gun down," Joel repeated. "We are not going to waste bullets on that." He pulled Horse to the left to avoid the threat.

She brought the gun down, but left the safety off. Things always went from bad to worse when infected were involved, and this time was no different.

They were rushed by four stalkers and two runners. "Oh, shit!" she yelled as the charge began. Joel was cursing behind her. Pop, pop, had his gun out, too, picking them off as he tried to keep the horse moving.

"Fuck!" _It touched me!_ One brushed her leg. One. Brushed. Her. LEG! Ellie shot her gun. Thump. The runner dropped.

Horse was making circles and whining as the world spun. Ellie was getting sick.

"Ellie, hold on!"

_Why? What is he going to – shit! _The horse reared up, kicking at the runners. _Okay, Winston never said anything about this! _They slammed down and back up again. Joel's thighs clamped onto hers as he began to slide back. Ellie grabbed his wrist, his arms, whatever she could. "Joel!" They clashed down on the road again with a cry of the horse. Joel slid closer to her, bracing for the next go. Horse thrashed his head, snapping his teeth at the infected. Hands were everywhere, grabbing at their legs and at poor Horse.

"Joel!" _Oh shit, not again. _Ellie began to panic. Joel didn't give Horse another chance to throw them back because he yanked the reins hard to the left, _straight into-agroupofmotherfuckinginfectedWHATTHEHELL!_

Joel managed to kick a clicker in the head in the process of kicking Horse into gear. They were launched forward and he took the break to his advantage. The horde followed as Joel and Ellie raced down the road. Only after they couldn't see them did they slow down to a trot.

Joel steered Horse past another group of infected coming from a backyard. The horse's cries and the sound of gunshots were drawing attention. "Go there!" Ellie pointed to an opening by some abandoned cars, and Joel gave another kick, sending them racing through the gap. They just had to get to the end of main street. Then, they would be in the woods.

Being in the forest didn't help. They couldn't see very far through the thick trees and dense plants. It was an easy place for a stalker to hide. They charged through, leaving the bastards in the dust. Only when things were quiet did they slow to a walk.

"Are you okay?" Joel asked.

"Yeah." Ellie took a mental inventory of body limbs. At least she had immunity. "Are you okay? Did they bite you?" Her mind flashed back to the one that touched her leg.

"I'm fine. One bit my shoe." He leaned over to look to look at his boot. It was steel-toed, but the thing left its mark in the leather. "It's okay."

Her heart started beating again. "Good. Not about the shoe, but, you know," she rambled.

"I know." He pat her thigh.

"Is Horse okay?"

"I think so. We'll check tonight."

"Can they infect him?"

"I told you not to get attached. I don't think so, but maybe." Her heart sank. When Joel didn't know, it wasn't a good thing. There was some silence for a second.

He cleared his throat. "Do you want to stay up front, or would you like to switch?"

"I'm fine," she shrugged. It felt safe up front, and it was nice.

"Alright." He shifted so they both had a little bit more space. She didn't even realize they were that close.

Horse slowed down. He was as tired as they were, and Joel didn't even rush the pace. He just lulled over Ellie. "Hey," she started.

"Hm?"

"Are we there yet?"

He laughed. "No, and I'm not looking forward to Denver."

She smiled. "Do you think someone will be there this time?"

"Someone is always there. I just hope they don't want to kill us."

"They always want to kill us." She was rewarded with a chuckle, but then they fell into a comfortable, exhausted silence.

-...-...-

Only when they went miles away from that town did they finally give Horse a break. They dropped down to the ground as Joel scanned the area for a place to rest. Then, Joel inspected the horse's legs and sides. "A couple scratches," he said as he looked over its hind legs, touching a red spot. "Might be a bite." He leaned back up. "We'll just have to see how it does."

"I'm sure it will be okay." Ellie pet the horse. It turned to nuzzle against her. _It's gonna be okay_, she soothed herself.

"We'll watch it," he repeated. His voice didn't give hope.

"Such an optimist. Since you're in such a good mood, I think we have time for a pun," she threatened.

"Oh, God. Not that book," Joel groaned as he pet the horse's nose.

"Fine, I'll spare you. I'm not sure I told you yet, but you are pretty good with a horse, Tex." She gave Horse a pat.

He smiled. "Never really messed with them until the last couple years."

"Well, you were pretty heroic back there." She danced a little closer. He gave her a small smile.

"I was just hanging on." He knew he was pretty badass sometimes.

"Well," she danced right to his side. _If I time this right…_ She popped up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, then dropped down. "Well, thank-ya, Sheriff, for saving little old me." She used her best southern accent and batted her eyelashes. "How will I repay you?" She swayed like the girls did in her mom's book with the cowboys on the cover. _Man, mom liked only one kind of book._

"You're one weird kid." She stuck out her lip, giving him a pout. He pulled her underneath his arm. "How about you stay alive? That's good enough for me."

She nodded. "I think I got a name for Horse. Well call him Callus."

He shook his head. "Fine. Whatever, Ellie. You win this round."

A/N: I wanted a little more action and Denver should be tomorrow.

I just wanted to justify myself for the heck of it and my class is argumentative writing in terms of the AP test.

She is a smart kid, but she is a mixture of smart and innocent (Or at thats how I saw her while playing the game and writing her). Point 2, I work with teenagers and what they do know and don't know is amazing. Also, how teens relate subjects and ideas is what I love to see. 3. The bahamas was a gag in a way until I thought about it. I don't see Joel having that much money... and the islands are close (Mexico seemed out of the question). Also, the more I thought about places like are just an...ideal stereotype. Its like fiji (It takes awhile to find on a map), New York, and Europe. We have cultural ideas of places and talk about them like everyone know it, but it is just the stereotype. Sorry! When I am writing I try to make it make sense. Trust me, I googled the maps and to get to Denver walking and on horse. I do love to address comments.


	10. College Induced Ether Dreams

College Induced Ether Dreams

OMG I just got through David in the game (No, I haven't finished and please don't spoil it). From what I gathered on animals they can be a carrier (based on the monkeys). I won't get too bogged down in the university (we saw it) so I skip to parts we didn't see. I don't know the horse's gender, but I'm going with male (if I'm wrong. I am so sorry). My favorite comment was "Age is just a number during the Goddamn apocalypse" Amen, Brother. Lol, look back at history for age gaps.

My thanks to: MoonGolem (cool comments, that is the beauty of the game that it is how you see it), fakeasmile90, talath rana, Galenmoon, and 30 nights

But just wait for David. That was too good... this is a mixed chapter starting with Ellie

"Wait right here," Joel ordered.

"But," protested Ellie.

"I don't want him to run off," he yelled from the other side of the fence.

_But. But. But. _He was gone. Callus shook his mane out and pulled on the reins. "It's okay." She pet the horse's mane. She turned to look around at the campus and tried to imagine it full of people sitting, talking, eating, and just living. She heard about parties, but that just seemed like something old people made up. _College might have been fun._

Eek, eek! She whipped around, scanning everything: bushes, trees, and buildings. Another monkey ran up the tree. _Thank God, it's just a dumb monkey._ It sat in the tree rubbing its face with small, yellow paws. _They are kind of cute. _She slid over to get a better look at it. "Hey, little guy," she sang. The monkey was mostly yellow and had little black paws. _Oh, and that tail! So cute!_

It looked up and swung down, hanging. It was watching her watching it. "Just hanging around?" She laughed at her own joke. _I'll just have to tell Joel about this_. It swung, making little clicking and cooing noises. "You are just too cute," she cooed back.

It hopped down and came towards her. _Wait, now. _With each step it took, she became a little more scared. This was not a QZ doggie. She tugged on Callus and he stepped back. The monkey sat down on the brick path. _Sweet, okay. We're cool now. You stay there, and I will stay here. Yeah. See? Cool._ "There we go," she whispered.

"Ellie!" Joel called. The sound of the generator humming startled her, but the monkey just tilted its head. Then, the gate creaked and the monkey hissed, flashing its pointed teeth. _Shit._ Ellie nudged Callus toward the gate. _Hurry. Hurry Hurry. _

Then, they were through. Joel looked tired as he climbed back up. Ellie hugged his back. _Monkeys aren't so cool._

He took control and they trotted on over the barriers. She couldn't help but watch out for more of those fuckers while she scanned the campus for Fireflies. _Why do they keep monkeys around?_

-_-_-.-.-

They continued to make their way across the campus, heading toward the labs_. _She just had to ask Joel about school.

_A singer_. She was smiling like an idiot. She could see him now, with a guitar and cowboy hat, singing country music, though Joel as a punk rocker was a sweet thought. The mental image of him singing and shaking his hips was just too good. _Oh, man._

"Come on, I won't laugh." She was giggling already. _Oh god, you would've been so hot._

He cut off her idea. "Yeah, I don't think so." He didn't buy it at all, but she pushed on. "Come on. So, you didn't go to college?"

"No, I had Sarah pretty young," he said as he rounded another gate, clearing the way with a trash bin. There was something heavy in his tone. Sadness over Sarah. Sadness over not going to college or getting a job he wanted; just a life of broken dreams.

"Too much?"

"Too much," he agreed, and their happy moment died. The scenery nailed the coffin shut. Ellie glanced at the brick building. _No guards, no noise, nothing left. _She didn't really need to think about it; she knew things weren't right at the science labs– not right at all. _The Fireflies aren't here._ She knew, but they didn't come all this way just way to stand outside, and they didn't know where to go next. She didn't want Joel to know that she knew the Fireflies were long gone. If she didn't have hope, they didn't have much.

Her heart sank as they made their way down the hall. _I got a bad feeling. Please, don't be more monkeys._

-...-...-

"Come on!" Ellie kept yelling at Joel like he could run. _Yeah, I know. Move my ass._ He limped closer to the doors. _Thank God that girl is a sharpshooter._ He pushed on through the pain; he couldn't let her down. Not now. As he reached the overturned desk, he stumbled. This was bad.

_I'm dying,_ he thought. Even if he wasn't dying, he found himself wishing he was. He couldn't breathe, couldn't walk, couldn't see straight, and, _God, just kill me_. Yet, he shuffled along after her. _No!_ He couldn't lie down; not because he wanted to keep going, _God knows I would love to just stop,_ but for her.

"Here lean on me," she said, but he went on without her help. _The stupid stairs._

Pop. Pop. Pop. Ellie took care of the enemies and went back to his side. She slid under his arm, leading him to Callus, _Still a stupid name,_ and kept pushing onward.

_He can't give up._ Ellie could defend herself; she proved that time and time again. That wasn't the reason she kept breathing when it hurt. She just wanted him. Ellie didn't want to be alone, and he couldn't leave her yet. Their story wasn't over.

He climbed onto the horse, his shirt wet and turning cold. They weren't kidding about feeling cold in the movies. _Movies, like that stupid werewolf movie. God, Sarah wanted to see that dumb thing._ The horse rocked underneath him and he moved with the sway as his leg went numb. His mind wandered. _Twenty years and I'm still here?How is it possible_? _Why would Ellie want a man like me to stay? No worse than the hunters and others, but no better._ He lurched and hit the ground.

He was back on the horse, coming in and out, in and out of consciousness. _Does being good matter when the world stops caring? God, I'm cold._

"Here, Joel." Her voice brought him back. "This seems like a good place. It has a basement. That will be easy to defend, and it should be warmer than out here. Oh! We can put Callus in the garage. Hey, come on! Stay with me," she rambled as she dragged him. "No, no, no, no, just keep moving your feet. I can't carry you." Her voice got soft. "I'm so sorry. Please, don't leave me, Joel." _Keep moving. Keep… _He gripped at the rail leading down the stairs and somehow touched the basement floor without slamming into it.

His stomach lurched as the pain got worse. He could taste metal, vile in his mouth. _Oh shit._

"Sit here." Ellie hadn't stopped talking the whole time_. _The ground was cold. His stomach churned and it came up, fire running up and down his sides as he heaved.

"Oh, shit!" Ellie danced out of view and came back, throwing towels down. "Here! Lie down here." She put a blanket and a pillow on the ground. "I'm going to see what I can find upstairs."

He laid down and the world spun as she laid a blanket on him and appeared in his vision. Her lips moved, but he couldn't hear what she said. She looked so scared. "I'll be fine," he gasped as loudly as he could. Her forehead crinkled. Her lips moved, and then she disappeared again.

His teeth chattered as a jolt of pain and coldness ran up his side. He felt so heavy.

-...-...-

"Baby, that was one hell of a hit."

Nicole* wakened him from his dream. She was shaking his shoulder. As he finally got to look at her, he had to admit she was so pretty, still in her band uniform. She was the only girl he knew who could make those stupid overalls look cute. Her blond hair was swept up in a ponytail; she never liked for it to be in her face. Nicole smiled, but looked so worried. _God, I got a hot girlfriend_, he mused.

"Hey," he breathed the word, still breathless, with a stupid grin on his face.

"Your dad just took you home. He said you had a thick skull." She shook her head. Both men had thick skulls, in her opinion.

"Did we win?"

Nicole rolled her eyes. "What do you think? Another loss." They never exactly won state championships.

"Fuck." He rolled over to curl around her. The whole room was fuzzy, but she shined. She took his hand and kissed his knuckles.

"Don't worry about it, honey. It's just a game. It's supposed to be just for fun." She was petting his arm. That was easy for the marching band nerd to say. _A sexy marching band nerd_.

"I know." It was best to agree with her. After a moment he admitted, "My head hurts. Hell," he took a breath, "everything hurts." _I must've got clotheslined_.

"It will be okay. You're fine, honey." She shifted, forcing him to move over and spoon with her. "Just keep talking to me."

"Yes, ma'am." He nuzzled the short, soft hair on the back of her neck.

"Joel, stay with me, honey. I'm right here." She squeezed his hand.

-...-...-

"I'm sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry," Ellie cried as he gasped back to life. He felt like he surfaced only to be plunged back under cold water. "Joel." His side burned as she stitched it closed. Ellie.

She gingerly continued her work and never stopped talking, but he couldn't keep up. Their eyes would meet and she would glance back down at her work, only to check on him once again. She looked so scared, so pale. "Joel."

"Hm?" he managed to mumble, and she rewarded him with a weak smile. She almost looked like herself when she smiled.

"I'm almost done." She pulled down his shirt and layered another blanket on him. "Just hold on." She smoothed the blanket. _Don't go._ Joel wanted her to stay; he didn't want to be alone. _Die alone_. She left, and vision swam back to darkness.

-...-

"Daddy!" Sarah yelled from far away. "The phone!"

Joel groaned and rolled out of his bed. "Answer it!" he yelled back. He tried to shake off the heavy feeling still settled in his chest.

"Hey, Tommy." He could hear Sarah walking up the stairs with the phone. "He was taking a nap. Yep. I know, lazy ass." She knew he could hear her. She laughed at what Tommy said as she stepped into Joel's doorway. "What do you want, anyway?" She walked toward him, stopped, then backed up a step. "No. Nope, no can do." She backed up more. Joel reached for her and she danced out of his reach. "He has plans tonight."

"Sarah." He held out his hand.

She held up an index finger and mouthed, 'one minute.' "We are going to the movies, so, nope. He can't help you out. Sorry." Joel got closer, getting ready to capture her and find out what Tommy wanted. She dodged him at every turn and had the gall to stick out her tongue. "Well– Shit!" He made a swipe that grazed her. "Another phone call. Gotta go, bye!" Sarah hung up as Joel swooped her up. He swung her around.

"What did he want?" He kissed her forehead.

"A double date. You, him and two dumb bimbos." Tommy's bimbos weren't the best kind.

"So, what was that about a movie?"

"I was going to tell you about that– Dad!" she laughed as he playfully almost dropped her.

"How do you know I wouldn't have wanted to go on the date with the bimbo?" he teased. "Or that I want to go to the movies?" He gently put her back on her feet.

"Please, can we go? The sequel just came out!" _Sequel? Oh, that dumb werewolf thing._

"I don't know if I want to be in a room full of screaming girls."

"Pleeeeeeease?" She was grinning at him.

-...-..-

"Please, Joel. Just drink. Just a little bit." Ellie forced a cup into his vision. He did what she wanted him to do, and a look of relief washed over her. _Is that snow in her hair_?

He brought his hand up to her cheek. _Damn._ She was cold. Couldn't she find a better coat?

They both worried about each other as she checked him over. Her frown and the wrinkle in her forehead said it all. Things were going badly.

After a moment, she spoke. "I got another bunny. Do you want some of the soup? It's good." _At least she can take care of herself._

She didn't give him much of a choice because she was feeding him. The soup was little more than hot water, some canned vegetables, and chunks of bunny, but it wasn't bad compared to some of the other things they ate. She gave him another spoonful. _How long have I been out? _he wondered, but didn't have the energy to do anything other than eat.

"Ellie." He wanted to say something, but couldn't place it. She put the spoon in the bowl.

"You'll be fine," she said, biting her bottom lip.

Her face was all he saw; he drifted.

-...-..-

He drifted back in.

"Son of bitch, get your ass in gear!" Tess dragged him to his feet as a bullet flew overhead. This was supposed to be just a job, but the next thing he knew, he was between two gangs and this woman showed up.

He stumbled. "We've got to move." She shoved him toward a building.

They dodged through a room full of broken furniture. The lights above flashed as they picked up speed. "In here." She pulled him into a room, then out the window. They ran harder.

"There!" Tess climbed in through a hole in the wall and slid on the floor. She struggled to lift a sheet of plywood. Joel dove in and lifted it, letting her slide underneath. They dropped into a hallway as the voices became distant.

"Thanks for that earlier," Joel breathed. Tess leaned on the wall breathing hard. She was a transporter, judging by the bag she carried with her the whole way. She was thin with black hair and thin, pale lips. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Despite looking so abused and tired, she had a fire in her eyes. "Tess." She gulped more air.

"Joel, we're even." He didn't offer his hand to shake. It was so strange to see a woman running alone. _She has to have friends._ "Cool. This tunnel goes to zone five. Where are you going?" She shifted the bag to her other hand and turned on her flashlight.

He didn't have many options. "Five," he answered.

"Let's get moving." She took another breath and led him down a passage that someone else had dug out.

"Yes, Ma'am."

She leaned back "Oh, a southern boy."

"Texas."

"Well, Tex, what do you run for?"

"What everyone else runs for."

She laughed. It was like bell. "A true transporter." Something about this woman intrigued him. She took pride in her work, and she was a survivor. He had to admit it: he liked her.

-...-...-

"I'm back. I got medicine. Just hold on," Ellie panted. She pulled the blanket back and hissed, gingerly touching Joel's inflamed skin. She fiddled with a bottle and an injection needle. The needle stuck into his flesh and he gasped.

"There," she soothed, covering him again. His teeth rattled. She froze, listening, but he couldn't tell what put her on edge. Ellie cursed and disappeared. She returned to his side, but before he could protest she was leaving. The room felt cold without her.

"Ellie?" Darkness took control.

-...-

Ellie smiled at him. "Two fish swim into a concrete wall. What did one say to the other?"

"What?"

"'Dam!'"

Joke found himself laughing at her dumb joke. "We gotta save that one for Tommy."

She grinned. "Want another?" Ellie casually flipped through the joke book casually as she sat on the floor next to him. She looked clean and happy, like they didn't have anywhere to go today. No plans. No problems. It was like mornings at Tommy's house.

"No, no. I'm good."

"Aw, not feeling good?" She leaned over to touch his arm, dropping the book by her side.

"Naw. Got a headache." Everything felt fuzzy and shitty.

"I'm sorry." She leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I wish I had more medicine to give you."

"I'll be fine. Don't waste medicine on me."

"It's not a waste. I need you here with me." She dropped a kiss on his cheek. It felt nice. She was warm. She leaned over again and kissed his mouth. Her mouth was soft and warm: everything any man could imagine when he kissed an amazing woman. She was funny, smart, and tough as hell. She was long past being a girl, and in that moment, she was beautiful.

His hands found hers and they continued to kiss until he was breathless.

They broke the kiss. She didn't look healthy. Her face and lips were pale, and her expression was worried. "What's wrong?" he asked as his head rang with pain.

"I need you to get up."

"But,"

"Joel, wake up."

"What?"

"Wake up!" she screamed.

-..-

He jolted awake, pain running up his side. _Holy shit._ He checked the wound. It was still red and inflamed, but clean. He looked around the basement, trying to orient his mind. He heard nothing. "Ellie?"

He threw the cover off and pulled himself to his feet, only to stumble. _Fuck._ The wound burned, but it had healed enough that he could power through it. "Ellie?" There was no way in hell he was going to lose her. _No fucking way_.

A/N: I had fun with the chapter. We will get more Ellie tomorrow. I just can't figure out how Joel lived. I do love that you can see these characters anyway you want. I am glad so many people liked the horse's reaction and enjoy my version of the game. This has been a great ride so far. I really can't wait to write tomorrows post.

*I did give his ex-wife a name (I haven't seen yet and I will correct it if I get that.)


	11. Little Bird

Little bird

**YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED: **This chapter is definitely rated M! If you feel uncomfortable or offended please scroll up and hit the back button or skip the chapter.

Now, I wanted to do my shout outs. Dudeman1397( Stalkers are the advanced runners. They started in the hotel basement and were able to hide and jump at you), xxnarutodemonxx (Thanks!), fakeasmile90, and Galeonmoon (I know! David was a beast. Why are there so few decent people? He could have been legit.) Talath Rana and Unwritten (Thank you so much. Your English is not bad at all just keep working and you will be fluent. Feel free to translate).

I feel like I skip the basic story in the game (why rehash what we saw) I add to it in the spaces. This is Ellie's chapter. Brace yourself.

Ellie kicked at the metal of the cage. _Fucking asshole_. She went around the box had left her alone and there was nothing she could do. "ARG!" She kicked at the door again.

The tracks. The tracks. Her stupid tracks. She led them straight to her. Straight to Joel! Her mind flashed to him in the basement. It would be easy for them to back up and kill the 'crazy man.' "ARGGG!" She kicked again harder and once more and again. _My stupid fault!_ Once her foot began to hurt she stopped and dropped to the ground hugging her knees. _I'm not going to cry. I not going too. _Her eyes pricked with tears and jumped up like a caged animal. _Hell, to these people, she was a caged animal ready to eat. _Her mind stopped. _What if that wasn't deer... What if they didn't give her medicine? What if it killed him? It was all her fault_. She found herself doubled over holding in a scream.

_"_Fuck!"

She went back to pacing. She rolled her shoulder that he slammed into the wire of the cage. It didn't hurt too bad and she had more to worry about.

That bastard. She never trusted him. Sure, they did a good job with the infected, but she wouldn't have gone to his camp. No way, she just wanted the medicine for the buck. _Why can't it be easy?_ Of all the people she could meet in the woods, she met the creeper from a camp that they killed half the members. Perfect timing.

He was creepy, but he was not the first guy to hit on her. But he was the first to put her in a cage... (Breaking his fingers didn't even begin to avenge her).

She heard stories from the women in QZ. They were the modern little red riding hood tales she grew up with that cropped up when girls were caught getting too close to the wall or seen with too many guys. Girls would be kidnapped when out (or even when they went to another district) to get used and raped until they were nothing left. _No one would see them again_. She shivered. Maybe Ms. Margaret made a point...

"Fuck." She whispered. She took a breath and held it. The room was freezing. She rubbed the sleeves of her coat when she heard them.

"David's got a new pet." A deep voice said. The men were passing the building they kept her in. Her mind went into overdrive. _A new pet? Shit. He had other girls_?

"Yeah. The crazy man's little bitch. She killed twenty more guys,, when they dragged her in."

"They find the guy?"

Her heart stopped. _Nononononononoo please NO! She pressed her ear to the wall hoping they didn't walk away._

"Naw." She breathed a sigh of relief. "The fucker wasn't at her little hold out."

"Shit." The other sounded disgusted.

"I know."

"He'll come this way. Has too. I say we hang her up at the gate. Let him find her."

"Waste of meat, but worth it." He laughed "After all their shit, I would pay to see it." That monster sounded so satisfied at the idea.

"Or just let David have his fun."

"Maybe he'll let others get a taste. She is cute."

"You can try that one, man. There is no way I am going to near her. I bet she bites"

"I think David would like that." They laughed at the sicko.

"Come on, let's go get the wood for the fire."

"Fine." The pair made their way leaving her thoughts.

At least Joel was safe for now. She wasn't sure how long she would be; but, damn she was glad she broke David's fingers. _Jesus,_ she needed a plan. Her mind ran through all the things she could do and nothing seemed possible. No windows. Solid Floor, The fence... She would have to wait for someone to open the door.

-.-..-

"Don't cry, my dear." _He was back_. She looked up from her spot on the floor. She was hugging her legs from warmth not crying.

She stood back up and straightened her spine. "How's the fingers? Want to me to finish the job?" She was not going to be weak. If he dare touch her, she was going for his wrist.

"We started off on the wrong foot, my dear Ellie." He waved his splinted hand. "I approached this all wrong. I meant to be a friend, not a monster."

She raised an eyebrow. This was not good. People don't just get over broken bones.

"A young woman should not be kept in a cage. Like a bird, she should be free."

_Definitely, not good. _She crossed her arms. "Whatever your plan is. I'm not doing it."

He pulled out the keys "I'll be good." He took the padlock in hand and twisted the key in it. The door opened and he left it. "It's a chance to get out. Take it."

Ellie glanced around this was not right. There was no way that he would...

"Come on." His eyes pierced her. "I'll be a sport. You get to the door and you can run free. You're small. You can hide. If you get away, I'll tell them I handled it myself tiny bits and all. If I win. Well, we'll talk about staying and making an apology to the men. Its all fair."

"This is a trap."

"You saved my life out there. I owe you a chance."

"Why would you? I broke your fingers."

"You were scared. I understand the fear, Ellie. The world is a scary place." She hated how he said her name. He looked her over like a sad dog. "I have a heart." He confessed.

"Then why not let me go."

"How do you know thats not my plan? I can explain that I chased you but you got away."

She froze considering._ It was a chance, a small chance_. "How do I know the door isn't locked?"

He back up and unlocked the blot and even opened it a inch. "There. Happy, my little snow bird. Are you ready to play the game?" She had no choice. None whatsoever. She judged the distance to the door. If she dodge the table and faked him out she might be able to do this...

"Fine. Back up. To the wall."

He showed his palms as he backed up. He was smiling at her "Step out. You can tell me when the game begins."

She slinked past the door and moved away from him. She took a breath she only had a small window and no guarantee, but it was a chance. Hope was all she had. "Ready."

"Run."

He shot around the table and jumped down on her. She slipped down and touched the door. SHE TOUCHED THE DOOR! She slammed past it and she could smell the fresh air. The cold air felt so good. She dogged into the snow and the bushes. There was a short fence 100 feet that was her ticket. Just had to jump it and down the hill to the woods and if she could just keep going she would make it. She had no time to look back.

Her mind raced with what was next. She would get Joel and do...something. Without Callus she was at a loss. They would figure it out. She touched the frozen wood went- **BAM** she slammed into it.

"Got cha, little bird." He said in her ear. "God, I love the chase."

"NO!" She kicked as he dragged her back toward the room and her little cage. "YOU FUCKER! LET ME GO!" She angled her feet to get his shins, but it was no use.

The house reeked of old meat and blood. He pushed her into the table.

"Up we go." He pushed up and caught her limbs and quickly used a nylon strap under the table to hold her arms.

"Such a pretty young lady."

"You fucking sociopath!" She tugged it as hard as she could as the fabric cut in.

"-With such a dirty mouth." He pet her cheek with his good hand and she snapped at his fingers.

"Let's see. He tugged at her jacket unzipping it. "You are small-chested." He said like it was joke. "Still cute for one a little flat. Your Fourteen, right" His eyebrow went up. She pulled up off the table and could still get nowhere.

"Please, don't do this." She begged.

"Your little heart is pounding. I can see it now." He touched the tops of her jeans.

She squirmed to get away this guy was not a human begging would not work. _Fear._ "The 'crazy man' will kill you. If you let me go now I won't tell him and we all can just go on with our lives. Trust me. He will put a bullet in yo-"

"If he knew where you were. He'd be here." He pet her stomach giving her smile one would give a small child throwing a tantrum.

He slipped his hands lower and unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them off her hip. _Fuck Fuck FUCK! She kicked as hard as she could. _He left the jeans pulled taut across her thigh so she couldn't kick him as easily. _The BASTARD was using her own CLOTHES against her._ He touched the band of her pink underwear.

"I see the carpet matchs the curtains." He teased.

"EWWWWWW" She arched off the table "YOU FREAK!"

He stroked down over her crotch, while his other hand slide up her shirt over her bra. "A handful is all I need."

She wiggled on the butcher's table kicking, tugging, screaming. "NONONONONO! STOP!" Tears pricked her eyes.

_"Ohhhh" He hushed her gently. _"It's okay. Scream, no one cares." That made it worse a panic seized her body. He was right no one in his camp would care... Who in the world would care about a girl on the table? Who would think of a man in a basement who could be dying. This world fucking sucked. But she couldn't give up and let him just do that. Could she? Just let him finish it?

He started to move down her panties. And she still could not just 'let it happen." She wasn't going down without a fight, but despite her trashing and she still found herself gritting her teeth. That monster leaned down and began to kiss her stomach and work his way up. One hand stayed down there touching, while the other pushed up her shirt. He kissed her breastbone and moved up her chest to land on her mouth.

His whole mouth practically covered hers. It was wet and moving. Sucking. She shuddered and pulled on the nylon straps. His tongue now was involved and pinned under him trying to french kiss her.

On instinct she opened her mouth and took in his bottom lip and bit as hard as she could to draw blood. It worked because his hands left and he hissed in pain. She spit his blood back at him. How do you like that, fucker?

Her victory was short lived. He brought his fist into her cheek. The force slammed her right back into the table. The world spun. Her cheek was warm as some blood dripped out a small cut.

"Sorry. Little bird, that's what happens when your animal bites you. You hit it." He was moving back in. His calm demeanor was back. His hand brushed up her bare thighs.

"DAVID!" A guy yelled from outside the door. **Bang. Bang. Bang.** "We got a problem!"

"It can wait." He licked his lips, while looking at her.

"No! It can't." The other man replied.

David shook his head and sighed an all-suffering sigh. "Work nevers ends around here." He unhooked her arms and pinned her wrist to manhandle her to the cage. He effectively kicked her past the gate "I'll be back, my dear." He slammed the door shut and took the key back out of the padlock. He turned and left to join his friend leaving her crumpled on the floor.

"Ugh." Ellie groaned as she pulled up her pants and moved to the back corner of her cage. Her head hurt so bad.

The little space in the corner was all she had to put space between herself and the table. And him. She shivered not from the cold of the room. She wanted a lock on this side of the box to keep him out. He's coming back. Her stomach churned He's coming back. Her body revolted and her stomach twisted, but she couldn't even puke. Her dry heaving relieved nothing. She coughed and curled up. She wiped at her nose and found her face was swollen and bruised.

I'm so fucked. She laid down on the concrete. She needed a plan... She closed her eyes.

-...-...-

"Wakey Wakey. Let's go."

David and his friend the butcher came back. _Oh boy..._ They pulled her out and threw her on the table. Her mind flashed back to his "game" and then she saw the knife. Something must have happened to change his mind about keeping her.

"I'm sorry." He tugged her arms spread and the machete flashed. They were going to kill her!

"I'm Infected! I'm infected" It was last ditch effort to buy some time. They looked up scared. "Roll up my sleeve."

"You're infected too." She told time just to kick him in the balls. She wasn't sure if this true, but just to see the fucker squirm.

"Look at it!"

He slammed the knife down. "I'll play along." He pulled up her sleeve and touched the edge of the old mark.

"What did you say? Everything happens for a reason." He knew what he did in that moment.

The men panicked. "She would have turned!" The men argued and it was her chance. She had to act...

-...-

She dodged out of the building into the winter weather. She was going to get away this time. God help her, she was going to get away.

A/n: I based this on the fact she was fine one cut scene and when they came to kill her face was messed up way beyond what David did during the cage scene. Also, it was weird that she told him "you're infected." P.S. I think they wanted to kill her because Joel was kicking butt so they wanted to hurt him through Ellie.

Another point is I think rape would be rampant in this world. I am amazed Ellie got that far.


	12. Winter Storm

Winter Storm

Hello again. As always you know I ship it and this story is a romance so if its not your cup of tea. I'm sorry.

As for my last chapter, I am glad she hacked up David too before I wrote the chapter. It was the way he talked. How he tried to be nice that hit way too close to real life. Also, the game made a huge time skip and Ellie is still acting weird, so I will be working on that.

I have a lot of people to thank...Unwritten, Galeonmoon, Moon golem, Talath rana, 55 (I am so sorry), fakeasmile90, JadziaCee (I missed the bite in game. Thanks, for the correction, there is more at the bottom.)

Still with Ellie (I rehashed a little just to give a sense of closure after the last chapter)

Ellie slid on her back, putting distance between herself and David. He had her gun and a chance to shoot, but he didn't. _He's playing with me again. _Ellie dodged around the restaurant booths to avoid him. He locked the door and started a fire. _He's going to kill us both?_

"If you want out, you need these keys." _The keys. Always, the fucking keys. _She slid out of view. He was right that she was small and could hide. _Maybe I can get through the back of the steakhouse. _The snow was the only problem with her plan. _Fuck._

David walked toward the bar. "Come out, Ellie."

After leaving her cage, she made an effort to run away, but the snow forced her to fight her way out and David and his friends were not going to stop. The snow was thick and offered some cover, but it trapped her in the town. Now, she was stuck with the last person she wanted to see, and he had the gun.

David circled the booth, looking for her. "Oh, hey, Ellie, I am sorry about your horse. I truly am. I hope you take comfort in knowing we won't waste any part of him."

That low blow hit hard, but Ellie focused her rage in not being seen.

Ellie dodged behind him, armed with a bottle. She tossed it at him and sent him reeling. She rushed up and stabbed him in the back, only to be thrown against the counter. _This fucker is not going down without a fight._

As David checked the wound, Ellie slid behind the counter and crawled away from him. He looked at the blood and shook his head. "You keep surprising me. It's a shame you couldn't join us, but it is too late now." He grabbed his machete off his back.

He circled around again. Ellie ducked under a table to move an aisle over. She crawled down a line of tables, trying to find the best angle to get to him. She listened for his footsteps as she made her way back towards the kitchen, slipping quietly along the back of the booths. As she crossed under a table–

"Gotcha, little bird." He grabbed her ankle as he yanked her back. She grabbed for the leg post, but it didn't work. He pulled her underneath him.

"Fuck off!" She kicked him in the knee and scrambled to her feet, ducking past his machete. She took off to the back booths.

He groaned as he got up to his feet. "Ellie, don't you see? God brought us together. Why fight it?"

He turned to check around the tables. Ellie snuck up behind him and stabbed him in the shoulder. Again, David didn't fall, forcing her to dodge away. She found a spot to hide in the back of the restaurant. Orange light glowed around her. _Shit. _The fire was spreading.

David disappeared, attempting to set a trap. Ellie crawled around behind the booth and got the angle. She jumped on his back and stabbed, aiming for his heart. He reared back and threw them both into a table. He hissed and grabbed her hair, throwing her on the ground in front of him. The world went black. The pair laid there, panting.

Ellie took a breath and rolled to her side. It was getting harder to breathe._ Stupid smoke. _She crawled on the ground toward the machete. If she reached it first, she had a chance.

He kicked her in the side. "It's okay to give up," he said as she continued to move, "but I guess it's not your style." He kicked Ellie down again. Her ribs gave to the pressure, leaving her breathless.

He pulled her hair, yanking her back. "I'm tired of begging."

"Fuck you," she gritted out.

He flipped her over to choke her. "You think you know me? You don't know what I am capable of." His hands went around her neck, pushing her further into the ground.

_You don't know what __I'm__ capable of. _She reached for the machete behind her. _It's right there. Come on. _Spots clouded her vision. _It's right there! _Her fingers brushed the handle and she grabbed the blade and swung.

"Look! Look! It's me." Joel struggled to catch the girl who was kicking and beating him, trying to push him away. Once she realized that it was not another one of David's men, she stopped.

"It's okay. I'm here." Joel crushed her to his chest. He was so glad to see her alive, but not like this. He couldn't stand to see Ellie crying her eyes out against his chest. His heart was breaking. _This is my fault._ If he hadn't slipped up, she wouldn't have been left alone. "I'm here." _What did they do to you?_ His mind raced, thinking of how they could have tortured her. It looked like she had taken a beating.

"Joel! He tried to… and…" She tried to explain, but her voice broke. His throat constricted. It confirmed his worst fear. He glanced at the headless man on the floor. _The bastard tried…_ If Ellie hadn't killed him, he would have, but his blood didn't have a chance to boil because concern flooded his chest.

"Are you okay?" He started to wipe the blood from her cheek. Ellie nodded. He knew it was a lie. _At least she isn't dying._ She was strong. They could get through this as long as they could walk. "Baby, I know it's hard, but we have to get going. I think we cleaned this place out, but we have to go." He was pretty sure there wasn't anyone left, but there was a chance, and they weren't in the condition to deal with more combat.

She bit her lip and nodded. They pulled each other up off the kitchen's floor and held on as they trudged out into the snow. They couldn't make it far, but Joel wanted to put some distance between them and this place. She stopped crying.

The snow was coming down like a thick, white sheet.

They supported each other as they made their way down the road. "Where's Callus?" he asked. She sniffed, and he regretted asking her.

"They shot him, and we rolled down the hill, and he, and," she rambled faster and faster, telling him about how she tried to get away. "It's my fault they found us."

"It's not. There was nothing you could do," he reaffirmed, but she was shaking again. "It's okay, baby." He squeezed her to his chest as she shook. They didn't have to get too far, just away. The snow would not let them go much further.

The town was now dead, or, at least, wouldn't bother them as they slipped out. Joel and Ellie didn't encounter trouble. They made it past the gate and down the road. The snow was still falling quietly, and Ellie's cheeks burned red from the cold. She was shivering. Joel wrapped his arm around her and took her hand, tucking it in her pocket to keep her hands warm.

They trudged slowly on until they found a house that was nailed shut. They went around the back and, he didn't have to break in. Joel found a key under the mat, and they went in. He barricaded the door with the fridge. _It'll do for now._ The infected and the townspeople would have to wait.

Ellie wandered in and sat down in the middle of the couch. She wiped the snot from her nose. Joel busied himself by starting a fire in the fireplace. A kitchen chair made good enough fuel to get it going. He warmed his hands. He was so cold; his side throbbed and still hurt, but he couldn't stop. He had to be strong for her. After a moment, he joined on her couch.

"How is your side?" she asked. It hurt Joel that she was so worried for him.

"I'll be fine. The medicine will take care of it."

She jumped. "My bag! It had the medicine in it. They took it."

_Shit! _He got a hold of himself. "I'll go back and get it tomorrow. It won't be a problem," he reassured. They would have grabbed it if he thought of it, but at the time it didn't cross his mind. His only thoughts were of getting Ellie to safety.

"I'll go with you." She still looked panicked.

He shook his head. "No. You will be fine here."

"I don't want to be alone." She sounded as fragile as glass. It would hardly take anything to shatter her.

"Baby," he didn't know what to say. "We'll talk about it in the morning." _I don't want you to see that place again._

"I'm going with you." Her mind was made up, and he knew he really couldn't stop her. Ellie would follow him anyway, and he didn't want to argue anymore.

"Fine. We'll get it." Joel got up and went to the kitchen. Most of it was intact. He found a rag in a drawer and bottles of hydrogen peroxide under the sink. He returned to Ellie. She had begun to bite her nails as she studied the small fire. It was his turn to take care of her. "Let me look at you." She didn't respond, so he sat on the coffee table in front of her, gently touching the rag to the nasty gash on her cheek. He cleaned the blood off until it was only a small mark. He worked on the cuts on the bridge of her nose and forehead. The cuts would heal, and she would just have a few bruises, but her silence and unresponsiveness scared him.

He dropped his hand. "Anything else?" She shook her head. He was relieved. _Unless it's something an antiseptic can't heal_. "You sure?" he pushed. It was hypothetical, but he wanted her to talk. "Did he...?" His hand waved. He didn't want to use the word that flashed through his mind.

"He tried," she admitted, staring past him at the fire. It sounded like it went further than that.

"Ah." He touched her free hand. "He's dead. He can't do anything more."

She took a breath. "But he tried, and then he was going to eat me."

"Fucking cannibals." He shook his head. _The bastard deserved every bit of what he got._ She stared at the fire lost, in thought. _Come back to me, Ellie. _

Since the world went to hell, it was too easy to get away with things like what David tried. Even Tess had to fight her way out, not that she ever told him directly. _"Two guys tried to get the jump on me." _Phrases like that came up far too often. As terrible as Tess's experiences were, she was able to comfort other women and children with advice when things didn't work out. _Say something._

He tilted Ellie's chin toward himself so she would listen to what he was saying. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. I failed you," he gulped. "You had to do this on your own, and you know what?" She wrinkled her forehead, finally listening to him. "You survived. You handled it on your own. Honey, it was hard to do, and many people couldn't have done it. Just, listen, don't let this kill you. They can only take what you give them. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Her head bobbed, but he was sure it didn't sink in. He stood up. "Let's take a break. I'll see what I can find for tonight." As he touched the door frame, she spoke up.

"I was so scared." Her voice was soft.

"I know. I was scared, too." He just about had a heart attack when he couldn't find her, and he would have set the world on fire until he did. "Being scared is a part of the job, but we will be okay."

She turned back to the fire. "We'll be okay," she repeated.

He went further into the house, ready to kick his own ass for not getting to her sooner than he did. The only thing he could use to distract himself from it all was to plan their next move.

A/N: We will get Ellie perspective next. To continue with her being infected, I assume she could pass it on (at least through blood transfusion), Ellie doesn't seem to know if she could pass it on, but it was a tactic to get David to stop. Now, if I was her and gave up and they were ready to cut me up I would have let them eat me just to infect every son of a gun.

Oh, I was going for Joel being a little lost. He is piecing everything together.


	13. Bags

Bags

I'm glad we all out our rage at David. As far as infected goes, I don't even think Ellie knows what her biting would do. I just think making him squirm would be good enough. If she could pass it easily, I don't Joel would know or have a choice when it came to tending to wounds or...sex... I should get back on topic. I want to connect the story to Salt Lake so here we go.

Thanks again GaLenMoOn, Unwritten, Fakeasmile90, Talath Rana, Moon Golem (I'm morbidly interested in Tess...), and a guest

It is still Joel's

Once the storm subsided, they ventured out to find Ellie's bag. They had to. Ellie was glued to Joel's side as they explored the town. The pair traveled through the lower level of each building, but there was nothing there and they saw no one. Sadly, there was no trail. They crossed into a back alley.

Ellie froze outside one of the buildings. "It's not in there," she said. Joel turned, studying her. She looked scared. "They kept me there, in a cage." He wanted to growl as he couldn't help but imagine her in there, trapped. He shook the feeling off. He had to focus.

"Then we'll skip it." He caught her small hand in his and pulled her toward a different building. He didn't want to stay any longer than absolutely necessary. _If we don't find it soon, we're leaving without it. I don't need the medicine that badly. I'll be okay._ They passed behind another building.

_Crack. _A small boy no older than six in a heavy coat stood with an armful of twigs. His cheeks burned red. He froze as he looked at the pair.

Joel gripped his rifle. _This is bad._

Ellie touched his shoulder and took a step forward. "Hi!" The boy backed away. "Wait, I have a question." Ellie held up her hands, showing him she meant no harm.

"Hi," the boy whispered as he took a step back toward the trees. Naturally, he was suspicious, but he was too young not to trust a girl.

"Can you help me? I'm looking for David's house. He's a… friend. I need to talk to him." Ellie smiled disarmingly.

Joel clenched his fist. _David. That's the guy's name._

"Are you here to trade?" the boy asked, making a face like he was trying to understand why they would be out here in the snow.

"Yes." Ellie took the easy way out. "We got medicine."

"I think he is hurt. Mama said something about him last night, but we were all locked up. Something about," he thought for a moment, "this crazy man running around." He eyed Joel. "Is that the crazy man everyone is talking about?" The boy gripped his twigs tightly.

Ellie looked back. "No, no. This is Joel. He's my friend." She smiled again at the boy.

"Oh." The boy shifted back. "Well, David lives in the brick house on the corner. I got to go bring this wood to Mama. It's a surprise so she doesn't have to get up so early. Bye." He trotted off.

"Bye." Ellie waved the boy off.

"That doesn't buy us a lot of time," Joel said as he took her arm and led her toward the houses.

No one was at the house to challenge them, and it was easy enough to find David's room and Ellie's pack. The bag sat beside the bed, but the contents were thrown all over the room. Ellie grabbed the comics and stuffed them back in her bag. Her shoulders were hunched, and Joel reckoned she was embarrassed that David touched her books and her spare clothes. _Her shirt. _It laid on the bed among the pillows, but he couldn't say anything. _The bastard is dead, _he reminded himself.

Joel gave her some space as he went to check out the bathroom and glanced out of the windows to see if anyone knew they were there. He turned back and raided the cabinet, finding more penicillin and bandages. He filled up his bag and returned to Ellie. She stood at the door hugging her bag to her chest, staring at David's bed. _This is why I didn't want you to come._

"It's okay. Do you have everything?" She nodded.

A man's voice came from downstairs. "This way! They were going to David's!" _Shit. _Joel gripped the gun. Ellie slid behind him as they armed themselves. They crept down the stairs and crawled behind the couch.

An armed man entered and headed past the couch. Joel turned behind him and choked the man to silence him.

He returned to Ellie's side. The next guy came in from the back room. "Did you see them?" he asked his friend. "Shit!" He crouched down next to his friend's body. Joel finished the job and listened for more. Nothing.

"Come on," he motioned toward the door, and he and Ellie slipped out heading south.

Ellie gripped the strap of her backpack as they trudged down the road over the snow. Joel led the way and he scanned ahead, giving her time to think. He still hadn't put his gun away.

_Joel is right. David's dead. He can't do anything to me or anyone else._ Still, she felt different. The world she lived in was always dangerous and ugly, but she had never felt so vulnerable before. She wanted to stab every man she saw before he could do anything to her. _Is it even worth it, trying to save this world?_ Her mind wandered to all the other people. _What happens if there aren't any Fireflies in Salt Lake City? What if Joel has another accident? What if?_ She was lost in thought.

"Ellie?" Joel called. She had fallen behind and he motioned for her to move. "It will be okay, baby girl. We'll stop once we put some distance behind us." he touched her shoulder and they trotted on.

The only good thing left in Ellie's life was Joel. She couldn't lose faith in him. He was the only person who made her feel safe. At night, she found herself curling closer to him than ever, and it wasn't because it was cold. Still, she couldn't sleep. Her mind raced.

That man had taken her peace of mind.

Could Joel and the Fireflies bring it back?

Things slowly got back to "normal" for the two in late November as they made their way to Salt Lake City. They would walk as far as they could before one of them couldn't feel their toes. When that happened, they would occupy any good house they could find. It was a long, slow journey, and they kept their pace just enough to avoid hunters and infected. As December approached, Joel healed up decently, but Ellie…

She didn't want to talk about it, and Joel couldn't blame her. Guilt ate up his stomach every time she stared off, but he let her sort out her feelings. The girl needed time to come around.

After a few weeks, Joel broke. Ellie had been acting so strangely, and it was up to him to comfort her and start conversations. He tried everything he could to bring her out of her shell. He would talk about football, guitars, comics, books, dinner, and movies he'd seen. He never talked so much in his whole goddamn life. Ellie would tune in and out, but for every small smile, it was worth it to Joel.

When a blizzard stopped their progress, Joel and Ellie were forced to make a homestead out of a cabin they found. They were trapped for a week, but they had food and shelter.

"Merry Christmas," Joel said as he passed her on the way to the kitchen. The cabin still had gas in its propane tank, so they were able to cook. Really, the house was one of the best places yet, as hard as it was to say. It had been easy to defend, and as the blizzard raged on, the fireplace was nice and functional. They pulled a mattress down to the floor and slept in front of it every night since they moved in.

Ellie looked up at him from the where she sat on the mattress. "It's the twenty-fifth? Shit."

"Yep." He checked on the pot where their canned soup was cooking. He went to the pile of wood by the door and added a log to the fire. Trees were the one thing that were abundant nowadays. There were lots of trees. "We've been on this road trip for almost six months."

Ellie watched him. "Well, Merry Christmas to you, too."

"There's something by the front door for you."

"What?" Ellie jumped up and went over to the door they barricaded. She returned and held up her present, which was wrapped in a Wal-Mart plastic bag. _Those things last forever,_ Joel mused. She turned it over in her hands.

"Joel, you shouldn't have. I don't have anything fo–"

"Just open it," he interrupted. He sat down on the edge of the mattress and poked the fire with a rod. He had to find something to give her. Even in the worst years, people always found something to give.

Crinkle, crinkle. She unwrapped it and squealed. _I did good. _She jumped onto their bed and gave Joel a big hug. "How did you get so many?"_ Welcome back,_ he thought. It was good to see the old Ellie coming through.

"I've been collecting," he said proudly as she hugged him. _Yeah, I am awesome_. She let him go to look through her bounty.

"How did you get the sequel?" She scanned the back cover of The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, the second book in the Hitchhiker's Guide series.

"Found it a while back." He shrugged, trying not to smile.

"And you say I have sticky fingers. Oh, Joel," she squeezed him again. Suddenly, she began to sniff. _Are you crying_? That was not what he wanted to see. _This is not good. _He reached around and pulled her so she sat in his lap. Her face was red and she was most definitely crying. _Fuck_.

"Joel," she popped him on the shoulder with the books. "You are so stupid. I don't have anything to get you, and I feel bad." She kept lightly swinging at him.

He caught her hands. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Please. Ellie. I'm happy just to have you here. I don't need anything. I just wanted to surprise you."

She hugged him. "I'm glad to have you here. It's just–"

"So why did you hit me? Ow!" She popped him again for effect. She pouted for a second until something dawned on her.

"If you could have anything in the world, what would you want?" Even though she was hitting him, it was nice to have his Ellie back.

"Back rub." Without a doubt, that would be a great gift. She was still lying next to him. Hell, she had been glued to him, but he hadn't had that treatment in a few months, and he had this knot between his shoulder blades. _Yeah, a massage would be the best gift._

She laughed. "Seriously? Anything." Her fingers already rubbed into the sore muscles that ran along the tops of his shoulders.

"Well," he shifted so he could hold her better, "a guitar would be nice. A turkey dinner, coffee," he listed, "world peace. Just the regular stuff," he joked.

She leaned in and kissed him on the mouth. It was a chaste touch, but it made his head swim in a good way. She leaned back but still held onto his shoulders. "A kiss?"

"Well," He had to admit, he gave her a dumb smile. She leaned in. _Wait a second._ His heart froze. He couldn't hurt her any more than she had already been hurt. He caught her ribs gently, stopping her from kissing him again. She frowned, but he had to clear the air, as awkward as it was. "Look. You went through a lot this winter. I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything for me. I am happy–"

She leaned forward and kissed him again the same way. His fingers splayed on the small of her back. He drank her in, but let her break the kiss. "I'm happy, too. You are not him. He was a monster. You have been with me every step."

Joel smiled weakly. "Trust me. You're my reason to keep going." He touched her forehead with his. "That's why we, well, I can't…" Ellie was something else. Not a daughter, not quite a lover, just something hard to define. He loved her, and he wanted to spend the rest of her life with her on whatever terms she set. _As long as I have her._

"Joel." She touched his cheek and pet his beard. She left her hand on his chest. "I lov–" she bit her lip, stopping herself. Instead, they touched foreheads again. She glowed in the firelight.

"It is good to see you smile." She snuggled him. The pair were silent for a long time, enjoying each other, kissing whenever one leaned in too close. He finally said, "Next year, for Christmas. We will have it with my brother." Ellie looked up. "Yep," Joel nodded. "We'll invite them to our house and have dinner. It will be nice."

"Our house? _Now_ who is planning?" She smiled at him and it was electric. She made him look forward to the future, which was a feat in itself.

He smiled back at her. "Maybe just a little, but that is pretty far down the road. I got a plan for now." Her eyebrows shot up, leaning in for a kiss like in those dumb romance novels Nicole used to read. "About that back rub…"

The look on her face was priceless.

After a second she said, "I'll see what I can do." She wiggled around in his lap to get to his back. Her thumbs went to work and he groaned. "Damn. You are too good at that."

"I know." He could feel the smirk. "Thanks, Joel."

They would figure things out at their own pace.

A/N: We will get Ellie perspective next. I just couldn't pass up christmas (which would survive any disaster. People will always have a gift giving holiday) and like Joel I can't stand to see her so sad. See you tomorrow. I like updating daily because I can't stand waiting.


	14. Morning

Morning

This is another chapter truely rated M (But in the good kind of way)! So skip or hit the back button if you are uncomfortable. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Oh I might as well make this clear, in real life I don't think 14 years old should be having sex but this is a game post pandemic world and Joel and Ellie fit together in my head. And age is just a number in this world. So deal with it. Hit the back button.

I am glad that the response was positive I was worried you guys would think it was rushed...

Thanks too ichame,megadiary123, fakeasmile90, masterhollow, talath rana, alyssa chamberlain.58 (If I left you off sorry I was really excited to get the next chapter up and updated before I saw you.

Ellie's

-...-

Nothing happened that night or the next. After his back rub, Joel and Ellie spent Christmas curled up in front of the fire. She read to him from her new book until he snored like a runner. The next few nights had more kissing, but it didn't go beyond a breathless make out. It proved to be more than enough for her.

Joel was already asleep, but Ellie's mind raced. _He likes me_. She smiled. _Joel fucking likes me! _She pursed her lips to prevent from grinning. It was the best feeling she had in a long time. She wanted to giggle, but held it in. It was good feeling to have him return her feelings. This was not like what happened in the shed and every stolen kiss thereafter. This time, he kissed her back.

"Hmph. Yeah, I'll take one," Joel mumbled behind her, cutting into her thoughts. Like a dog, he tended to kick and talk in his sleep. The poor guy never got a rest. She pet his arm.

Her feeling of euphoria gave way to worry. Ellie tried to not think of David. Joel tried hard to turn her thoughts away from the bastard. _Things happen, and we move on. _Joel said that after they buried Sam and Henry, and his words rang true. He was right. David was dead, but Ellie still wasn't going to allow him to control her. She was not his pet. She was going to live and let him rot in the ground, even if the man haunted her dreams. Ellie shook the thoughts from her mind and focused on her own joy.

Joel nuzzled the back of her neck. "Hmph." He was so warm and wrapped around her so tightly it was hard not to feel safe.

Ellie sighed. She imagined it now, living in Jackson, in their own house. _We'll have food on the table, watch movies, and go to town parties. We'll have a big bed where…_ She grinned. She had enough dreams to fill in. Joel was not David. It would be good, and he wouldn't force her. He might be bossy about her cleaning the house, but in bed, he was kind.

As she planned their life together, a nagging feeling returned. It came back every time she looked at his crows' feet. Joel was much older than her. _What if the people in Jackson don't like it? What happens in another 50 years? Joel would be a hundred. I'll probably end up alone._ That's what hurt. She was terrified of being alone.

He kicked a little, bringing her back.

She was going to enjoy Joel while she had him. Life was short. _Might as well enjoy the parts I can._

"Ellie?" His voice was thick.

"Hm?" Her stomach stirred with excitement. He might have wanted to kis–

"Get some water."

"Fuck." He nudged her with his leg, insisting. "Lazy ass bloater." She stumbled off to the kitchen, got his glass of water, and returned to his side. They shared it, and she left the glass on the floor.

They returned to their previous position, but her mood was gone and her mind was quiet. "Night, Ellie Bellie," he muttered, and she laughed at his new silly nickname. _That must be what Dream Ellie likes to be called._

"Night." She found herself drifting off, feeling safe. For the first time in forever, she didn't have a nightmare.

She awoke sprawled on his chest like an Ellie-shaped blanket. His thigh was between hers, and her nose and mouth were pressed against the column of his neck. He was spread on his back, arms looped around her waist. It wasn't comfortable, but…

She pulled up slightly. This position was… _Damn. _His leg was somewhere that felt too good, even through their jeans.

"Joel." She nudged the sleeping giant.

"Hm?" He cracked an eye open.

She leaned up and kissed him. He gulped underneath her as they proceeded to make out, if a man like Joel was capable of "making out." The term didn't fit him, or them, at all. She shifted on his leg that her own had wrapped around.

When she finally let him get some air, he growled out, "Want something?" His voice was deep, but not in his usual morning way. She could feel it against her, too. He was stiff and turned on.

"Well," she kissed him again at length. "It would be awesome if… you… got me a glass of water." She kissed his unshaven neck.

He scoffed in surprise. "Fine. Move." He hoped that if he did it quickly, they could get back to finish this, or go back to sleep. He liked both ideas.

She clung to him. "I'm kidding. Stay." He lay back down and relaxed. He was waiting for her to kiss him first, and she knew why he was submissive. He didn't want to scare her away. She focused on what she wanted to do. She pet his ribs up and down through his shirt. They locked lips.

She ended the kiss and moved on top of him to unbutton his shirt. He watched her with a raised eyebrow, but he didn't help or deny her.

When he was exposed, she tugged her own shirt off, leaving her bra on. She rested on his chest. He was not smooth, and that was fine. It wouldn't have fit. Even the gray that was mixed in was just so Joel.

They kissed for a long moment. When they separated, Joel asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I had a good dream," she offered, jokingly. Her dream last night was not this, but damn, she wished it were.

"I think I'm still having one," he replied.

She laughed, leaning down to kiss the skin above his heart. She made her way back up to his neck and touched his pants. "Want to take them off?" Unlike the shirt, that required more effort.

"Only if yours are coming off."

She nodded and wiggled to get out of her jeans, making good on the promise. She watched him to see if he would– _Fuck! _He did. Ellie stared for a second. He was proportional. Joel shrugged off his shirt and he gave her a look.

"Um," she mumbled and took off her own underwear. It seemed easier than explaining to him. He picked her up to straddle him. This wasn't what Ellie saw in all of the books, or in Bill's magazine. The guy was supposed to be on top. He ground into her, bucking like a horse.

Her mind went blank. "Joel, why am I on top?"

He tilted his head. "Short answer, or long?"

"Long." He bucked again, and she could feel his length against her.

"I reckoned you didn't want to feel trapped."

"Oh. What's the short answer?"

He smirked. "I can do it any way you want, so why not… ow!" She popped him playfully. He gave her a pout, but she knew he was only joking. He leaned up to make eye contact with her. "Ellie, focus." His voice was rough again.

He rubbed against her once again. It was getting really wet down there, and he still hadn't done what the men in her mother's novels did. "Joel," she whined.

He slipped one hand down in front and touched her. His hand searched for something, her breath hitched when he found it. _Shit. _He rubbed it with his thumb. He grinned, but she couldn't worry about that. With each stroke she wished even more that he would hurry. _If he just jacks me off, he might not get to…_

Ellie leaned down to kiss him and pet his chest. Their tongues touched in a sloppy kiss. She made her way to his neck. She sucked at the skin leaving a mark.

"Ellie," he called her back. "I asked, are you ready?" he purred.

"Yeah." He shifted his angle to line himself up. His head was pressed against her lips. His hand left her to hold on to her hip. The fingers were still wet. He took her hand in his. They interlocked fingers.

He bucked a little more, slipping in and out a little. _Way better than fingers_. "Still good, baby?" She bobbed her head. He pet her thigh as he breached her a little deeper each time. It was way bigger than she thought and it hurt, but he kept it slow so it was bearable. "You okay?" Joel asked as he slid out. She nodded again. "That's my girl." He strained to keep a slow pace for now. He still held her hand.

He bucked as hard as he could until he was all the way in. His movements were smaller, but rougher. His hand moved away from her hip to rub her in front again. "Come on, baby."

Ellie bucked back as hard as she could. That feeling was building up. "Oh, shit…" Her stomach tightened as it washed over her. "Joel." She leaned forward to rest on his chest.

He laughed and hugged her as the last waves hit her. "It's okay," he muttered. She snuggled into his chest. His hips still moved. They stayed like that for a moment.

"Ellie, would you mind?" he asked.

"What? Oh." _He didn't finish? _She pushed the hair away from her eyes. _Shit. Shouldn't a girl outlast a guy? Did he want a blow job? Is that gross?_ Her mind raced.

"Just sit up a little. I was close." He shifted around her and went back to work. He bucked harder as he groaned, then laid out flat.

"Damn," he cursed. He pulled her back down to his chest. He hugged her. "I love you," he muttered into her hair.

"I love you, too."

Joel gave her a squeeze. "I really need a nap."

Ellie laughed. "We just woke up."

"Don't care." He shifted them onto their sides and spooned her. One arm was her pillow, and the other locked around her waist. Their legs tangled. After a moment, he pet her stomach. "You okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No. You were great."

"Good." He kissed the back of her neck. "You were good, too."

"I didn't even take off my bra." Her face burned. He might have said she was good, but this was a man who probably hadn't gotten any in at least six months.

He laughed. "Next time, Ellie Bellie," he yawned.

Ellie smiled. "Next time" sounded too good.

A/N: To be fair: I don't write a lot of smut. So be kind. I know it is not your traditional virginity losing type deal but Joel is not your average guy... Anyway, thanks for R&R! I am still going to continue the story so see you tomorrow!


	15. The Road to Nowhere

The Road to Nowhere

Okay. JadziaCee made a good point I figure a combination of masterbation and I didn't want to go for the normal fanfiction thing. But yeah, realistically it should have hurt more (I went back and added a few lines). Oh yeah, Joel can last... As for the nickname, that is what goes in my head that he calls her, so that was for me. I won't use it again, but just once... Man, I don't understand how people can write smut. It hits too close to home... I am just embarrassed...

Thanks to JadziaCee, master hollow (I laughed at yours I wouldn't do that), GaleonMoOn, megadiary123, Shadow12 (Um... thanks), .58 (yeah, I just can't help it), Talath Rana (THANK YO SO MUCH! I felt crappy after some reviews. I was going for the gentlemen), Gwenzilla, fakeasmile90, ichame, doomsta27 and unwritten

Joel's chapter:

Joel groaned. The sunlight streamed in, and that meant it was time to get off his ass. Ellie was unbothered by him, still asleep and curled on her side. He leaned down and pecked her on the temple. Winter had finally come to an end, and that was not a good thing because the next step was not what he wanted to see. Not at all.

He slipped off the bed and stretched. They had spent the entire season in their little cabin, from the holidays to March. It was a close second to Tommy's town in terms of being a possible place to settle, but Joel knew that it was just a pipe dream. He wanted Ellie to have people other than himself to rely on. Joel couldn't make Ellie live out here, even if the nights would be good.

He checked the window. The snow was receding; their time here really was coming to an end. _Shit. _The nights had been good. He and Ellie found a pace they liked and it drew her out of her little quiet moments. Ellie lacked experience, but she made up for it in her enthusiasm. It was strange for Joel to think of her as a lover. She was so young, but he loved her, and he wanted to be with her. Sleeping with her was only a bonus because, in his heart, he decided where he belonged.

"Ellie?" She stirred, pulling their blanket higher over her head. He shook his head. The cabin gave them both enough time to heal. It was nice being snowed in with no excuse to leave. They didn't have to keep going. They only left the house long enough to catch a rabbit or deer, then came back to sit, talk, or sleep. It was the kind of life he always dreamed about living.

Back in his high school days, Joel and Nicole spent long summers lying on couches doing _almost_ nothing, but it all ended when Sarah came along. They grew up too quickly. They tried to make it work, but Nicole wanted something that Joel and Sarah couldn't give her.

Tess was not much better. She would never just herself and Joel retire from transporting. With Tess, it was always "one more run." They always needed a few more ration cards. _Maybe she was afraid what would happen if it were just her. Still, she was tough. Tess was…_ Joel had to remind himself to move on. Tess was not coming back.

He settled back down next to Ellie and glanced down at her. Ellie was just something else. She was too hopeful for her own good and tough as hell. She was smart (her brain _and_ her mouth), and she had a heart. Ellie really did believe she could save the world. _You deserve so much better than me, _Joel thought.

He pet her side. He loved her. He didn't regret telling her first or anything they did, but he felt selfish_. Ellie should have some young buck who will be able to stay, not some old man_. His jaw was tight. He just couldn't bring himself to let her go. He couldn't leave her at Tommy's and walk away.

A plan hatched slowly in his mind. Once all this was over, they would settle down. He would let her find someone her age. _I can just play father-in-law. _It burned, but he couldn't keep a beautiful young lady like this. He couldn't.

"Joel?" Ellie's voice brought him back to reality.

"Morning." His voice was thick with the weight of his chest. Giving her away, even in his head, was too much to bear.

She stretched like a cat before she leaned up to peck him on the cheek, smiling. She leaned back, frowning when she saw his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"It shouldn't hurt. That means you're thinking too hard– hey!" He pulled her into his lap and kissed her neck. He held her for a second, etching every bit of her into his mind. She wouldn't be his forever.

"Hm." She made a happy noise as she pet his shoulders. He let her go, and she slipped from the bed to look out the window. "Things really warmed up." She only wore a shirt and her underwear. _Thank goodness we don't have any neighbors._

"Yeah."

She went to the kitchen and scavenged for something to eat. "I guess we'll be leaving soon," she thought aloud.

"Yes."

"Shit." He wasn't sure whether she grumbled at her food selection or at the news.

"So, are we leaving today?'

Joel got up. " Might as well," he sighed. He dreaded the damn Fireflies. It was just a sign.

Joel and Ellie walked until they reached the interstate. Both took turns talking to keep the other from succumbing to deep thought. Quiet moments were dreaded because doubt would bloom. _What if Salt Lake is abandoned like Denver?_ At least that would buy them some time. _Worse, what if it's become a hunters' city like Pittsburgh?_ There could be scores of infected, or the military could have a base there. Joel didn't know what to expect. He knew there was only one way to figure it out, but he didn't want to go through it.

He picked up a pair of scissors and a rag, stuffing them in his bag for later. "Ellie?" She didn't follow him. He climbed out of the RV. He knew Ellie could take care of herself, but he didn't want to make a stupid mistake when they were this close to their destination.

Thankfully, Ellie was studying a picture of an airplane. After a moment, she said, "I was looking at this before bed last night. I had a dream that I was flying."

"Sounds like a nice dream."

"I crashed it," she confessed.

"Dreams are weird," he told her. They both hoped it wasn't a sign. "Come on." They trudged on to the gateway of the city, then to the hospital. Joel tried not to think of planes or of Ellie dying in one. He just wanted to get in and out. _It's like going shopping, _he reasoned. _No need to stand around in the store._

They reached a road block and had to divert through a building to reach the other side of the city. At least it was quiet.

They stood in a golden atrium. Ellie was still acting strangely, and Joel didn't know what to say. _Give her time._ He boosted her up and waited for– _What are you doing? _He panicked. Ellie was gone. She could have easily run into a trap. Joel made his way up and chased the girl down the hall. She was ten steps out of his reach, running toward something.

"Ellie, wait!"

Giraffes. _Fucking giraffes. _He had to laugh. She scared him to death, running off just to watch the big-necked animals eat leaves from the trees. He made his way to the giraffe next to the window and pet its rough fur. He motioned for her to follow. _At least the animal population seems to be doing alright._ Joel hoped this only applied to the herbivores. The last thing they needed to encounter was a pride of lions. Ellie joined him in petting the big, stupid animal and smiled. _Thank god it was just dumb giraffes. _They moved to get a better view. A whole herd had wandered into the city.

The moment only lasted a few seconds. Joel was afraid. The whole city was calling Ellie deeper into its center, and she wouldn't stop exploring. As they descended the staircase, he made one last appeal. It was all he had left to say. _I'm not going to ask her again. _Joel needed to hear that this was what she wanted so he could let go.

"We don't have to do this." He didn't mean to beg, but he did.

She gave him a hard look. "After we've been through? After all I have been through? We are going to finish this." Ellie had a good heart, but she was stubborn. "We'll go wherever you want after this, but we have to finish it," she snapped.

Her tone stabbed him a little and he clamped his jaw shut. _Fine. Let's go find those fucking Fireflies. I'm sure they know what they are doing way more than I do. _His anger subsided and turned into a sick feeling. Ellie led the way out into the light.

The strange feeling continued in the pit of Joel's stomach as they walked through the triage center. Old feelings surfaced, and he broke. He told Ellie about his past, when the infection first hit. _So many families. _He took a breath and tried to ignore the blood-spattered curtains.

"Joel, I have something of yours. Maria showed it to me, and I stole it," she confessed, pulling the photo of Joel and Sarah from her pocket. She offered it to him.

Joel took the photo this time. It didn't hurt as much to see Sarah as it did a few months ago. It still hurt, but it wasn't a raw pain. _It's about time I moved on to some degree,_ he reasoned. Joel had finally found another person to live for. "You can't escape your past," he said, putting the picture in his bag.

She looked down shyly. _Why did you give this to me now? _he thought, but he didn't want the answer.

"Come on." Joel scanned the signs. They could take the tunnel to St. Mary's Hospital, but things were never easy for them.

"Holy shit." Ellie gaped at the mountains of rubble ahead of them. The piles of cars didn't shock her, but the ungodly number of infected was unsettling. She grabbed for Joel's hand. This was another one of those signs that they should turn around, but she didn't want to hear it.

"Ready?" he asked, squeezing her fingers. She nodded.

Joel and Ellie made their way across the tops of overturned tractor-trailers, trying not to be noticed by the horde as they slipped in and out of obstacles. It worked for a while, but the vehicles became too far apart. They were forced to drop down to the ground. The bloaters took notice; Joel gripped a Molotov cocktail and tossed it at the damn things. Nearby clickers ran straight for the noise and were consumed by the flames, but the runners spotted Joel and Ellie.

"This way!" Joel led Ellie through an access door at the back of the tunnel. They ran like hell to get over the trucks, and then they hit running water. They had to get across.

_Shit._ The sound of the rushing water was intimidating. Joel led the way, grabbing hold of flooded cars, buses, and scrap metal to keep from being swept away. Their luck ran out as they reached the final bus. Ellie reached the grate on the other side, but Joel heard a crack and knew that he was not going to join her. He fell through the broken window into the flooded bus. Joel grabbed the bars to pull himself up, but the effort wasn't worth it. He fell backwards and was forced against the back door. Joel was sure this was the end. If the sharp rebar didn't kill him, the water would finish the job. He could do nothing but wait.

"Joel!" As soon as she heard the splash, Ellie jumped down on the glass, cracking it with the impact. She pulled at the frame, trying to save him.

"Go!" he yelled. Joel didn't want to see her die trying to save him, but she kept pulling and he pushed up on the glass. He used the seat to push himself up into the glass. _I have to get to her._ The bus shifted. They were going to go down. "Grab my hand!" Ellie tried to touch him, but his hand slipped out of her reach. The bus crashed and she was sucked away.

"Ellie!" Water rushed in and covered him up to his head. _I'm coming, Ellie! _He pushed through the current and was forced through the plume. Thankfully, it took him straight to Ellie. Joel thought she would have been caught among the debris, but she floated right in his line of vision, suspended in the water. She looked lifeless, but he was going to get to her or die trying.

Joel caught her and continued to swim to the surface. His mind reeled as as his own lack of air took hold, but he wasn't going to stop.

They broke through and he dragged Ellie to the surface. He listened for her breath, and heard nothing. _Nothing! _His mind raced through his CPR training and he put all of his weight on her ribs. He checked her breath, but there was still nothing. _Don't die. Don't die, _he begged silently. _Not again. Please, don't leave me. Don't die, Ellie. _Joel's blood ran cold. _Didn't they say somewhere that mouth to mouth doesn't work? _He kept giving her chest compressions. _One. Two._

"Put your hands up!" someone yelled, but Joel did not care. He kept going, pumping and listening.

"Put your hands up!" _Ellie, please Ellie, come back._

The world went black with a crack. _Ellie…_

"Joel." Ellie called him back. "Joel."

Joel gasped and searched the dark room until he saw her, and that was the only thing he needed to see. "You're… okay?" He looked her over. She was glowing, and she wasn't wearing her usual clothing. It was lighter and much more flowing than her jeans and sweatshirt. Her clothes registered something frightening in his mind. _I failed. She's… and I'm probably…_

"Joel." She touched his shoulder. "Look at me. We are okay." He didn't believe her, but she was all he had. "See, I'm here," she said. She ran her fingers through his hair. His heart twisted.

"Don't leave me," he begged as he touched her forearm.

"I'm not going anywhere," she soothed. Ellie curled up with him on the bed. He hugged her as hard as he could. He wasn't going to let her go.

"When we get to Tommy's, you are learning how to swim."

She laughed indulgently. "Yes, dear." She was making fun of him, but he didn't care.

Joel felt heavy with worry and guilt. _You should have learned to swim long ago. _"Just stay with me a while," he mumbled into her hair. He was so tired. He didn't wait for a reply.

A/N: Poor Joel doesn't get a break. The last part was a dream. Anyway, see you tomorrow. Tomorrow chapter will be slightly different from the game so BE PREPARED! lol see ya.


	16. Promises and Broken Dreams

Promises and Empty Dreams

Thanks for your confidence. unwirtten,RomanceDagger, GaLenMoOn, MoonGolem, razisgosu, doomsta27, a, .58, MasterHollow. Brainless1 (I didn't think of that. So, in theory it must be able to attack animals which is scary and cool and I wish they would have explored it in the game.) Over a hundred 150 comments. Shoot. I am lucky. Thank you all so much!

A/N: This is like the Tommy thing. I am going to change up a little of how it played out, because I was so mad at the lies. So, I did change things up...

This is Ellie's POV

Ellie coughed back to life. _Holy… _Her vision swam as she tried to focus. "Joel?" A strange man wearing a sand-colored helmet hovered inches above her. "Get the hell off of me!" Ellie shoved the man's armored chest. Her mind flashed back to the bus, the broken glass, and the water. She felt like shit, but she wasn't going down without a fight. The man caught her wrist and put her down on the ground.

"She's alive!" he called to his friend, who was on a walkie-talkie. He looked back at Ellie. "You're okay." Ellie still struggled, but his grip was like iron. _I'm not okay until you keep your goddamn hands to yourself!_

His buddy gave a thumbs up. "Yeah, a man and a girl. She fits the description and we are bringing them in." Once Ellie stopped fighting, he loosened his grip. She wiped her mouth as the information sank in. _Description? These guys must be Fireflies._

Ellie scanned the area and saw Joel laid out on the road. _What did they do? _The Firefly soldier let her get up. She rolled to her side and crawled over to him. Joel was unconscious, but breathing. "Come on," Ellie said as she patted his cheek.

Ellie heard the men speak in the background. "Marlene said to bring them in." _So, we did find the Fireflies. _One second of relief gave way to panic. She really wanted Joel to wake up.

The soldier caught Ellie by her biceps and pulled her to her feet. "Hey!" she yelled as she kicked instinctively. _They can't leave Joel._

"Get him," the soldier told his friend.

"Yeah, you get the easy job." He nudged Joel with his boot.

"I'll help you once she's settled." The soldier put Ellie into the back seat of a black SUV. He smiled at her. "Buckle up."

Ellie gripped the door handle, but it wouldn't open from the inside. The two soldiers shoved a limp Joel through the other back door, crumpling him on the seat. They slammed the door shut.

Ellie tugged on Joel's tangled limbs to make him a little more comfortable. _He'll complain when he gets up. God, you are heavy._ She pulled his head into her lap and pet his hair as she examined his head. There was no blood.

"Ellie?" Joel whispered as he opened his eyes.

"I'm here. We're okay." Joel drifted back out; it was all he needed to hear. The SUV lurched forward and Ellie was overcome with a bad feeling. _This is my damn fault._

"Are we going to the hospital?" she asked the driver.

"Yes, ma'am. Marlene, the rest of the guys, and the doctors are waiting." The driver and his friend high-fived. "It's a good day."

The soldier in the passenger seat turned around. Under his helmet, Ellie could see that he wasn't much older than herself. He asked, "So, you're immune?"

"Yeah." Ellie absently ran her fingers through Joel's hair.

"Finally, all this will be done." He grinned. "I've been waiting for it. I can't believe I'm on the team that got the cure!"

"Yeah," she repeated and stared at the road through the glass. _This is what I wanted, right?_ "Are there hunters here?"

"If there were, we scared them off," he boasted. "Mostly, there are a lot of infected."

"Oh." Ellie took Joel's hand in hers and continued to pet him. She really wished he were awake. The driver made a hard left, and the hospital appeared. It was big and had a banner hanging down its side. Ellie's stomach twisted. The driver pulled into a parking garage.

There was a rush of people and arms as they were greeted by a unit of Fireflies. Ellie saw a group of men taking Joel, but she was yanked face-first into a woman's breasts before she could protest.

"Oh, Baby!" Marlene cooed as her hug knocked the air out of Ellie. _Marlene_! Tears prickled at Ellie's eyes. Marlene let go, only to grab Ellie's shoulders. "I can't believe you made it." The older woman searched Ellie for wounds.

"It was a long trip, but worth the view." Ellie smiled and tried to wiggle out of Marlene's arms.

"We'd better get inside," a guard announced. Joel was gone, and Ellie was brought inside to an elevator. Marlene pressed a button and chattered, keeping an arm around Ellie's shoulders.

"I was so worried for you; I am truly proud that you made it back to us." The elevator doors opened on the top floor. "This way. The doctors are going to perform some tests. I can't believe he actually did it. Damn."

They stopped in front of a door. Marlene opened it. "This is your room. You can take a shower and we'll bring in the doctor. They just need a few blood samples and then we'll talk." Ellie relaxed. _Blood. That's all._ Ellie pulled her sleeve up to look at her scar like she did before falling asleep every night. The skin and muscle seemed to mutate. _The worst they could need to do is cut it open. Then we can leave. _Marlene gave Ellie a tour of the room, but she couldn't concentrate. Her stomach churned. _Is this is what I want?_

"Where's Joel?"

"Don't worry about him." Marlene touched the door frame.

"Where?" Her mind flashed to the men with guns. "Where?" she repeated loudly. Marlene winced.

"They brought him to recovery. He's got a bed to sleep in, and the doctor will check on him, too. I'm sorry they hit him. They didn't know it was you guys." Marlene came back to her side and pet her ponytail, easing her down to sit on the side of the bed. "He'll be okay."

"Can I see him?"

"I'll check on him. When he wakes up, I'll get you." Marlene smiled nervously. _Fuck. _That smile was her tell. _She's lying. _"See you soon." Marlene leaned down to peck Ellie on the forehead, then disappeared.

Ellie was trying to get up when a nurse arrived. She rushed Ellie through her shower, took her clothes, and put her in a hospital gown. _At least it isn't paper. _The nurse gently rubbed Ellie's shoulder as she took a blood sample from the crook of her arm, then another from her bite mark. She left Ellie alone on the bed, holding a bandage on her arm to stop the bleeding.

Ellie swung her feet over the edge of the bed. Nervousness had taken over her mind. She wanted to run. _Joel was right. This is a bad idea._ Her bare feet touched the tile. _Maybe they'll just let me walk out._

A doctor walked in. "It's confirmed. You have immunity, and we can use it to reverse-engineer a vaccine. This great news." He put his clipboard down and gave a tired smile. "You are a very special girl." Ellie's knee jerked up at the phrase. The doctor took no notice. "We will just need a sample to work with."

"Alright." Ellie straightened up. _A small sample, probably._ "Just try not to cut off my hand. I mean if we have to, okay, but I like that hand." She smiled. _I just have to be brave and everything will be 'll be on our merry way, and the world will be a better place._

The doctor laughed. "It doesn't work like that. We won't cut off your arm." His smile faded. "The disease settles in the spinal cord and brain."

"So what are you going to do, exactly?"

"We will need to go to the area and take a sample of the growth. It won't hurt."

"Will it mess me up? Will I die?" So many possibilities and questions raced through Ellie's mind so fast that her legs were cramping. _Brain surgery?_

"There is a chance you won't make it, but think of the cure, and how many people you will save. You will be a hero." The doctor touched her hand. "So, let's get ready for surgery."

"I want to see Joel." She needed to see him. _This is happening too fast. Aren't doctors supposed to tell you more than 'You'll be a hero?' _Joel would be worried. They needed to talk about this.

"That's not a good idea. He is still out cold, and we are ready to start." _This is bad._

"Trust me. I have been running across the country for a year. You guys can wait. I will wait until Joel wakes up. I have to talk to him." _I can't do this alone._

The doctor sighed. "Let me call Marlene."

"I want to talk to Joel, or I swear to God…" Ellie didn't know what she would threaten. She just knew she couldn't do this without at least talking to Joel. The doctor left her alone until a group of armed Fireflies came for her.

"You can see him," the leader said. They escorted Ellie out of the room and she held the back of the gown closed as they walked to the elevator. _Maybe they're lying. I don't have a choice._

Thankfully, they weren't. "Joel!" She jumped on the bed, forgetting about the stupid dress as he pulled her into his arms. He was still propped up in the bed, but he looked happy to see her. The armed soldiers faded into the background when she saw him.

"Baby." He smoothed her hair. "What are you wearing? What are they going to do? Where–"

Ellie kissed him to stop the questions. She broke the chaste kiss and said, "It's a hospital dress thing. They have to do surgery to get the immunity, or mutation, or whatever." She wrapped around him more tightly. She didn't want to leave, and she didn't give a damn that the Fireflies saw them. _Surgery. _Ellie shuddered. _Joel will know what to do. Maybe he can get the doctor to explain. _Joel pushed her away so he could see her face.

"They have to do what?"

"Surgery."

His tone was serious. "I heard that part. Where?"

"The doctor said something about my brain." _This seemed so much easier before._

"No. We are going home right now." Joel lurched upwards. "No way in hell." His arms locked around her.

"The doctor said there's a chance that something could happen, but not really." She touched his chest, but he wasn't going to listen.

"Where is this damn doctor?"

"Here," the doctor said as he stepped into Joel's room.

"How many people have had this surgery?"

"A dozen."

"Did they make it? Where is the cure? Where is–" Ellie took his hand as his voice rose, and he stopped talking. _You don't have to yell at him. He's just doing his job_.

"It failed," the doctor replied flatly.

"No fucking way." Joel's arm wrapped around Ellie. "Nope. We are going."

"Her case is ideal. We'll take good care of her. The world needs her–"

"I need her," Joel spat.

"Sir, this is much bigger than you. You will both be the heroes that saved mankind." The doctor was so calm. "Sometimes we have to take risks."

Joel shook his head in disgust. "Out. We need to talk," Joel barked. The doctor shook his head. "Please, Miss, convince him." He left, shutting the door.

Joel broke the silence. "We'll make a run for it. They took my bag, but we've gotten through much worse." He kissed her forehead. "I can't let you do this." He pecked her again.

"No," Ellie cut in. Joel raised an eyebrow. "The doctor was right. I have a chance to save millions. So many people wouldn't have suffer. This is my chance to make things right."

Sadness filled Joel's eyes. "Ellie," he said softly.

She continued. "We've been lucky before. I'm sure I'll make it, and then we can go."

"I can't let you. The world is a shitty place. Who says the Fireflies are any better than the military? They might not even give the cure to people." He looked to the ceiling for an answer, and then back at her. "Why save people not worth saving? Let them figure it out without us."

"Joel."

"You are my reason to keep going. If I don't have you here…" Ellie's eyes watered at his words, and she fought the tears back. _Shouldn't the grown-ass man be telling me this is for the good of all?_ "Ellie." He crushed her to his chest. "What about our plans?"

She took a deep breath. "You have to let me go. If I can help and I don't, I don't know if I could live with myself." She was shaking and could feel the tears. "Please. Please don't make this harder for me." They were asking too much of each other, and it was killing her.

"No." His voice broke.

"Please."

Ellie leaned forward and her tears ran down his chest. _I shouldn't have come here._

"That's enough." Marlene's voice cut in. "Come on, Ellie. I need to talk to him. Go get cleaned up and make the choice on your own terms."

Joel gripped Ellie tightly. "Please," he whispered into her hair.

"I have to do it." She kissed him again. _If this is goodbye, I'm going to make it good._

Marlene cleared her throat loudly. Ellie didn't care.

"I love you," Joel muttered. He was well past giving a damn.

"You too." Joel's hands slipped down, letting Ellie go. His muscles were tense and he couldn't look at her. _He must understand how important this is._

Ellie was met by the doctor and guards. "We'll take you back upstairs. You can make your choice. We will be waiting."

_That's not much of choice. _They walked her to the elevator. _Can I really live with herself if I say no? If I'm selfish now, I'll screw everyone. No, I want– need to do this. _Ellie's heart hurt. She was doing this for Joel, too. He deserved to live a better life.

A/N: Will Ellie go through with the surgery? Will Joel try to stop it? Find out tomorrow! Kidding. I think the game was rushed at the end. they could have let Ellie try and convince you and then you make a choice leading to two different endings. Well R&R!


	17. Going it alone

Going it alone

Thanks for the comments. GaLenMoOn, doomsta27, Talath Rana (I hope not. Otherwise it felt like she lied by making plans knowing she could die. But I could see her at least knowing about blood samples and stuff. You know, I don't hate Marlene. She was under as much pressure and was no more right than Joel), Sassywat1 (I loled.), Foreverguard (I would have liked the dark ending too.), Moon Golem (The ending is supposed to be morally ambiguous and we don't like that. I would have just liked to see an ending where you let her "save" the world. I would give me a reason to play through again. It would be like the mass effects endings (not the color thing.) Romancedagger ( I laughed so long at yours.), Master Hollow, Kenny 9X3, Gwenzilla, Shadow12, megadiary123, IdleSC2 and unwritten

I am still changing things as we go. I tried to bring in some of the original dialogue and then did my own thing for a bit.

Marlene shut the door and reeled on Joel, her finger in his face. "Whatever you think you are going through is _nothing_ compared to what I am going through." Her voice cracked. "I have known her since she was born. I told her mother that I would watch out for her!"

Joel turned away to take a seat. He just didn't give a damn. If Marlene too weak to fight her own people when it came to giving up Ellie, he was going to say something. "She is just a girl. You can't let them do this."

"This is what she wants! She told you herself. She wants to end this. Let her go!" Marlene's arms waved violently as she spoke. The guard in the room moved closer to the wall. It was awkward for him, but he wasn't going to leave Marlene alone.

"I can't."

"Well, that's _your_ problem." Marlene paced around the bed. _What did Tommy ever see in you?_

"Look, what goddamn sense does it make to try brain surgery before they even know if they can make the vaccine? Others died. I'm not a scientist, but can't they take some small samples of it before we do something that will kill her? It just doesn't make any sense."

"You're not a doctor." Something in Marlene's face said the same thing. She knew it was bullshit. Why risk the life of the only immune person they had?

"She is all I have left. You can't take her away."

"Joel, it hurts, but–"

"When she dies, I die." Joel gritted his teeth. He didn't want to tell this woman any more than he had to, but she started the fight.

"I'll give you the fucking gun!" Marlene yelled, pulling her weapon from the back of her pants. "Just let the doctors finish and you can do whatever you want."

"I'm not leaving without her body."

"What? Want to kiss her goodbye? Which, by the way, you son of bitch, is low. Do you how _old_ she is? She could be your granddaughter!" Marlene's voice was thin as paper as she grew angrier.

Joel fumed. If this woman was going to take Ellie from him, she could at least leave that issue alone.

"Shut your goddamn mouth."

"Or what?" Marlene smiled cruelly. "Nothing, you perverted, selfish, old man." Her finger was in Joel's face, and he grabbed it. The gun clicked. He wanted to break her hand so badly, but he didn't. She pulled away and spat, "I'm glad she doesn't have to stay with you. God only knows what you did," shaking her head.

"I'm so glad I risked my life to bring her here to see a bitch like you again." Joel looked to the guard at the door and got a hold of himself before he got trigger-happy. "Why do you think this cure will change anything? It won't. Things are too far gone."

"Joel, let her do the right thing. There is no choice."

"What the hell is right anymore? Do know how many people tried to kill us and how many we killed just to be here? Just so you could tell me that we should have saved this?"

"You're saving her from all of this. What will happen when you turn your back for one second? All Ellie can do is wait until she's raped and murdered." Marlene sat back down, collecting herself. "Let her do this." She looked as tired as he felt.

Joel set his jaw. There was no point in talking to Marlene; she bought her own bullshit. She justified everything in her head and was going to let it happen because it was "right." _Fuck that_. _The world doesn't care about Ellie. I care._ Joel wasn't going down without a fight. He just had to get Marlene to leave. He took a deep breath, hanging his head.

"Is this what she really wants for herself?"

"Yes!" Marlene was beyond frustrated with him. _Good._ Joel continued to study his busted knuckles, avoiding her gaze.

"Maybe it was meant to be."

"For you two to make it here and us to save her at the very last moment, it must be meant to be. Part of the plan."

Joel nodded, resigning. "I can't sit in here and wait. Can I go?" he pleaded.

Marlene looked up at him, and her face contorted. "Why now? Why are you–"

"Because, like you said, Ellie wants this. I can't stay here, knowing I could've…"

Marlene looked Joel over. "Alright, see him out," she ordered her guard. "Thanks, Joel."

"Take good care of her," he mumbled.

"I always have." Marlene turned to the guard. "March him out of here. If he tries anything, shoot him." She turned and left. _The bitch bought it._ Joel had to get his shit together fast.

"There. Lie back." The nurse helped to lay Ellie down on the cold table in the examination room. Ellie took a deep breath. Her arm was already connected to an IV. "It will all be over soon. Just count backwards from 10." The nurse tucked a loose strand of Ellie's hair behind her ear. "You are so brave."

"But, I think…" Ellie had agreed to the procedure and the Fireflies were happy, but she felt a pang of regret. She looked back at the tube running into her arm. _Shit._

"Nine."

Ellie lost her nerve. "This isn't a–"

"Eight"

"–good idea. Please."

"Seven." The nurse covered the IV with her hand. Her eyes commanded Ellie to stay put.

"I don't want to do this." Fear gave way to panic. It was easy to consent to saving the world, but once they stuck the needle in, shit got real. Fast.

"You're just nervous. Breathe. Five."

"No." Ellie tried to grab the nurse's hand, but she was numb.

"There we go." The nurse lowered Ellie's hand to her stomach. "Three. Two. One."

The nurse faded to darkness, and Ellie felt sick. _This was a really fucking bad idea._

Joel crawled his way up to the third floor. He waited for the guard to turn his back and got the angle on him. The shiv broke off in the fucker's neck. _Shit. _Joel crawled backwards toward an overturned desk, then checked his supplies. He didn't have enough to make another shiv, so he was limited to choking to move quietly. Joel made his way to find the next guy. _Hurry up, _he told himself. He had to reach Ellie before they started cutting.

"Hey! You see anything?" A guy came into view and Joel jumped him, pulling the man to the ground.

When the floor was secure, Joel headed up the next flight of stairs. Everything was blocked.

"There he is!" Joel's arm was torn open in a rain of bullets. He dove behind a wall and loaded his pistol. "Flank him!" The stomping of boots grew closer as they came from all sides. _Fuck._

Ellie was swimming on her back, which was weird, but no weirder than being in a strange plane_._ Really, dreams were weird. She swam in a giant black and green pool. The sky burned blue. "Just keep swimming."

Ellie made her way toward what appeared to be the shore. "Joel!" she called. There was nothing but the swish of the water.

"Joel!" Ellie yelled again. Fear settled in her stomach. She couldn't swim forever. The water became thick and she began to sink. Ellie was pulled under, and the only thing she could feel was the pressure squeezing down on her lungs.

"I gotcha!" Joel pulled her to the surface, cradling her. "We're okay, baby girl," he promised.

"Really?" Ellie still felt limp and heavy, like a rag doll in Joel's arms. She slowly pulled her head up to see his face. It wasn't Joel anymore. David held her, staring at her with only one good eye. His brains slid down past his nose.

"It was meant to be, Ellie. You're doing what's right. Now, just hold still." She was too heavy to move or scream.

Joel limped up to the fifth floor. He was bleeding, but he pushed himself through the burn. He couldn't leave Ellie alone, and he wouldn't die without a fight. The recording about the Fireflies' failed experiments vindicated him.

Joel shot the next guard as he moved closer to the stairs. _Please, God. Don't let them kill me before I see her. _He wondered why he prayed to a God who never listened, but he stopped the thought short. He didn't want to hurt any chance he had to save Ellie.

Joel didn't have a plan; he never needed much of a plan before this day. He moved steadily up to Ellie's floor, but he didn't foresee how he would smuggle her out. He had to see her once more, and to know he did everything to save her.

Ellie might have wanted this, but nobody could leave their loved one in that place without trying to stop it. Joel couldn't lose another person; not again. He loaded his shotgun, readying himself for the next Firefly to get in his way. Marlene was right about two things: he was old, and he was selfish.

Joel's breath hitched as he reached the top floor of the hospital. _It ends here. _He followed the signs to surgery, and could see the bastards in the window before he slipped into the room. _It's now or never._ His heart jumped as he entered. _Ellie!_ The doctor and two nurses, all in green scrubs, were the only others in the room. Ellie was on the table, but they hadn't started cutting. _Thank God. Now this is meant to be. _Joel made mental note that he might have to start praying again.

The doctor grabbed his scalpel and stood between Joel and the girl who had become his whole world. "I can't let you take her. Don't you understand?" The little blade shook in the doctor's hand.

Joel could hear the stomping of boots behind him. "Move." The doctor stood his ground, and Joel took the shot. The doctor crumpled and the nurses hugged the wall.

"You monster!" one yelled as she held a pair of forceps in her hand. "How could you do this?" She was sobbing.

The other cried, "Don't touch me. I don't want to die. I don't want to die!" She shook, standing unarmed against the curtained wall.

Joel didn't give a damn about the women. He had his own to worry about. She was so pale. He reached over and removed Ellie's IV as he picked her up. "Come on, baby." He gently put one arm under her knees and the other under her back. At least he had the chance to hold her again.

Joel carried her toward the pediatric ward. His only plan was to move her away from the bullets.

"They went that way!" one Firefly yelled as Joel ran. Bullets began to fly. _They'll kill us both._

"Hold on, Ellie." Joel pulled her closer to his chest. "Just hold on." _Damn. _The world went red. A sharp pain cut across his calf as it was blasted with shrapnel. He grunted and pressed on. _Can't… stop._ The Fireflies kept yelling, but Joel ignored them. "We're okay. We're okay," he repeated, trying to assure himself. He weaved toward the elevator. He didn't even know if the damn thing worked, but it was his only option.

Joel slid into the elevator with Ellie in his arms as the hail of bullets charged after them. He slammed the button with his hand. "Come on, come on!" he growled at the panel.

The metal door protected them and the elevator began to descend. Joel leaned against the paneled back of the car and watched the numbers illuminate as they headed to the basement. He didn't know what was there, but he hoped he could run until they found a place to hide. They had the whole city.

Joel shifted his grip on the sleeping girl. With a chime, the doors opened to the hospital's parking garage. There were no guards to be seen. Joel pushed the emergency lock button. _This is a fucking emergency. _He lumbered out toward the cars.

"Joel!" Marlene appeared in front of him, gun in hand. "Stop right there." He froze. _Why is she down here?_ "Please, just stop this. Just hand her over and do what is right. You're not saving her from anything." The woman still pointed the gun at his head.

"That ain't for you to decide."

"It's what she wants, and you know that." Joel paused, pulling Ellie closer to his chest. "Look, you can still do the right thing. She won't feel a thing." That was the worst thing Joel could have heard, and Marlene thought it would work, but she asked too much. _Bullshit._ Joel pulled the trigger and ran to the car.

Joel lowered Ellie into the car gently. He returned to Marlene, and she begged him to let her go. "You will just come after her." Of this, he was sure. He pulled the trigger again, and Marlene's head fell.

Joel climbed into the SUV and turned the key. He drove out of the parking garage in the morning light. They had spent the entire night in hell, and now he could finally breathe. Joel took the first exit ramp and looked at Ellie in the rearview mirror. _What am I going to tell you?_

A/N: I lined back up with the game. I would have loved to go for the dramatic (because there is no way he would have made it or found a car... etc) but I want to finish the game.

The whole situation is messed up. You want to save the world, but they did it all wrong. Those doctors in the game are dumb as hell. Who in their right mind does not take some small samples first. Killing her and leaving yourself one big dying sample is stupid (They can only work with tissue like that for so long). It is like cancer take some biopsies first before you operate. Also, I never trusted the fireflies...

Also, do you want the sequel as a separate story or just for me to keep going?


	18. The Thief and the Liar

The Thief and The Liar

Thanks again. Please spread the love of the game and make art, more fanfiction or gmvs (I LOVE those). Please someone make a gmv for Joel/Ellie to Passenger- Let her go.

Man guys thanks I will just keep rolling with the story. Thanks to Guest, Megadiary123, Liam1, Gwenzilla (LOL! Yeah Tommy will be fun...), Tina Valentine, doomsta27, razisgosu, Moon Golem (You're at the bottom), 58, Ceetee, Cumberbumberwumbers, Talath Rana (Shifty is a good word for them. I crawled through the game.) Romancedagger, Shiggy (I agree. Society is gone at this point), Unwritten and Master Hollow. Your support keeps me going!

Ellie:

**Bump**. Her bed was moving. Her bed was... She cracked her eyes open to stare at the roof of the car. She was in a car? Her mind just didn't make sense of this at all. She glanced down. A hospital dress thing? What happened? Why was she here? Why was she dressed like this? Was it all a dream? Why did the car look so familiar? **Bump. **The car jumped on the broken road.

"What the hell am I wearing?"

"Just take it easy. The drugs are wearing off." _Drugs... _the world swam and she rubbed her eyes trying to bring it into focus. She just couldn't shake this heavy feeling.

"What happened?

He took a long second before saying "We found the fireflies." He took a second "Turns out there is a whole lot like you, immune. It's dozens actually." He looked back at her before looking at the road. "Ain't done a damn bit of good neither. They have... they have stopped looking for a cure actually."

Ellie took in a breath. This was all wrong. She didn't remember that at all and he never explained her clothes. _What are you talking about? _

"I'm taking us home." He whispered "I'm sorry."

But he wasn't, was he. She turned back to the leather of the back seat trying to process all this information. The drugs made it fuzzy, but she tried to remember it all. The tunnel, Marlene, the Doctor fighting with Joel, the nurse... it didn't happen like he suggested. They found the fireflies but... Joel wouldn't just say that. Why did it hurt so much to think about this. Maybe it was just the drugs. Maybe she made it all up.

The car bumped along. Joel was quiet. Off in his head. _Maybe he felt bad about all this..._She just had so many questions that burned her tongue. After a long moment, she finally asked as she sat up in the seat.

" I want to change my clothes. Where's my bag?" She turned looking around on the floor.

"We had to leave it." If she wasn't suspicious of the story before there was no way in hell they would leave it.

She sat up the world swam, but they did WHAT? The car swiveled on the road. "ELLIE! What the hell!"

"That was all my stuff! My clothes, the toy, my comics, my books, my gun. Everything was in that bag." She went through listing all her stuff. Most of all that was her bag! It was childish, but it was hers and she had enough questions. She wanted some answers! And Joel wasn't helping right now by lying.

Joel winced. "I'm sorry."

She slammed her palm in the passenger chair. "FUCK! This all sucks." Tears were were forming again and she felt sick and her hand hurt. _But this did fucking suck._

He stopped the car. "Are you okay?"

"No." She admitted.

He turned and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry. We will get you another bag and I will get you more comics. I'm sorry you had to go through all this. I'm just sorry." He kissed her hand. "Please." He begged her for something. "Just rest for now. I will make this alright."

She took her hand back and slide back to seat. She took a breath and closed her eyes trying to get past the I-need-to-puke-feeling.

He started driving again. What did they do? Why was she here right now and not at the hospital and why did he do all this. She focused on blocking out the light and the headache that was coming on.

-..-..-

She woke up as the car door slammed shut.

"Here. He threw something in the back seat. She began to dig through the pile. It was clothes..."I got something for you to wear. It looked like it would fit." He wrote it off and already started the car again. He must have left her for a second...

_What is half of this? _She pulled it apart. He must have grabbed a whole closets full. She went for the jeans first. She roughly judged them and discarded any that were too big or small to the side. One looked decent enough. She shifted and slipped them under the dress. Damn. It felt good to wear jeans. That dress thing was so exposing. He really must have raided through a house or two for all the stuff.

She dug through again and found the bra... _He remembered the bra_... Her cheeks burned as she turned to the seat and took off her dress and slipped on it. Thank god, no one was around even the thought of Joel looking made her nervous. The shirt was yanked on next. It was loose, but that was fine. And he still had more for her... She threw on the cover shirt... She wouldn't be able to ever really wear short sleeves. Thank goodness it doesn't get too hot in Wyoming. She wasn't sure how true that was, but it seemed like it stayed cold.

She finished sorting through the pile. And found a pair of converses that were a little big bur good enough. She laced the shoes. _Let's see what else you got._

He even had a book bag for it. She tried not to think about the old owner and pulled into her lap. All the zipper were open. He must have dumped the thing out before bringing it to the car. The last thing he brought her was a beat copy of sci-fi novel. _Jurassic Park _was written on the cover with a big dinosaur. This was his I'm-sorry-gift.

Ellie shook her head and packed it in the bag. At least she finished all the books she had. She folded clothes she liked and stuffed them too in the bag. At least, it wouldn't be flopping around empty on her back. She turned her attention to Joel.

"How long is it going to take to get to there?"

He glanced back at her in the mirror. "We should be there in a hour. It only takes a little over 5 hours to get to Tommy's from Salt Lake."

It took them months to go five hours. _Damn. _She watched the road and the trees that they passed. Cars were cool.

"Thanks for the clothes."

He didn't say anything. Ellie sighed and climbed up front. The view was better from up here. After a moment, she began to dig through all the compartments. They had a pile of napkins. The owners manual. Some big sunglasses that she tried on. She looked at herself in the mirror. _They can come with us. _She left them in her hair. She opened the console. _Jackpot. _"They got some cds..." She flipped through the disc.

_"_Shania Twain? Bon Jovi. Journey. And Elvis... Know any of these guys?" She flipped the cases over looking at the song titles.

_"_Yeah." He shifted "They were big when I was a kid. Except, Elvis that was way before my time."

_"_Cool." She put in the cd with the lady in country boots. Joel would probably like her. She slipped it in the player and it spit it back to her. _Damn thing._ She flipped it over and it worked. The cd player kicked on.

The music was different from the cassettes they found in the truck. Her songs were funny. "That don't impress me much." Ellie sang along. "You got the look but how about the touch. Oooo" Joel cracked a smile, but wouldn't join in. They rode on like that for a while until she changed to the Bon Jovi CD. They only had 20 miles to go.

"You like to play the guitar and sing. Join in."

"Next one, promise."

She elbowed him. "Bullshit."

"Next one." He reassured.

"Whatever." She belted out "blood red nails on your finger tips." She missed a lyric or two but got the chorus. "You give love-"

"A bad name." Joel added.

They broke a smile. It felt like things used too. The little moment came to a halt as the car began to buck up the highway. This was not good.

"Shit!" Ellie jumped up. "Did we run out of gas? Or hit something."

Joel slapped the wheel. "Come on. Just keep rolling." The car kept going, but just vibrated. They both held their breath waiting for it to just stop.

They only had a few miles to go. They had signs telling them Jackson was next. But shit. They were going to have to walk. The car didn't let them down until they were at a sign, It stopped and Joel opened the hood looking at the tubes and cables. She doubted he really knew what he was doing under the hood. He just had to try. She studied her arm. _What really happened?_

"I guess we are walking." He slammed the hood and came to her. He judged the landscape. "I think there is shortcut."

"Lead the way." She shouldered her new bag that contained the CDs maybe Tommy and Maria could get this on their ipod-thing.

He kept walking ahead of her so excited that he even mentioned Sarah and the fact he used to take hikes with her. That explained a few things... He even suggested that she could have been friends with Sarah. _That girl never aged in your mind. She would be in her thirties now... _This was really strange. Why was he talking to her like she was his daughter? That was another question.

They reached the peak of the hill that let them see the town. It still looked like a little piece of heaven. She had to clear the air. "Joel."

He stopped.

"Look... I wasn't the only one that got bitten." She confessed and told him about Riley, about waiting. _Fuck. _She was rambling and she just wanted him to understand. This feeling in her chest hurt from being the one to live. He just wrote it off as being a survivor. _If anyone would understand survivor's guilt it was him... _

"Is everything you said true. I want you to swear it." She needed to hear it from him and she could forgive herself. She needed him to tell her that things would be 'okay.'

He took a moment. "I swear."

"Okay." _That goddamn liar. _She should have known he would. He lied to everyone else about Tess, about Sarah about everything. He would just lie to spare her or himself, but after all they been through after all the trust they built up. He still couldn't just tell her the truth, but she nodded.

He turned to continue walking ahead of her. _Jesus. Did she really want to know what he did to the fireflies?_ Her stomach was all twisted up.

They walked down to the gate. Joel knocked. A guard popped his head up and radioed Tommy. A second later he opened the gate. "Welcome back." The guard smiled at Ellie, but she didn't have the energy.

They walked in to their new home and headed down the road towards Tommy's house. He met them halfway. He crushed Joel with a hug. "I can't believe you made it back already! You guys got the vaccine?" He was smiling and before he could say anything else Joel cut in.

"No." He took a breath. "They stopped looking for a cure." Tommy looked shocked. He didn't believe it either.

Maria hugged her and then her brother-in-law. "Come on in. You can stay until we figure something out." _They had a lot to figure out at this point. _Ellie followed the blond woman. Joel followed behind with Tommy.

Dinner was going to be weird...so weird.

A/N: Okay, as you can tell there is more to the story.

Anyway, they were still working with only minimal evidence for something so big. I mean would one more day really matter if it meant having a real plan. They really nailed their coffin shut because they acted so shifty about the deal. They could have explained and took their time but instead it felt like they put a gun to your head and said back off. I just couldn't buy them completely. But the moral question of what a life is worth is the main problem. By the end I really could have gone either way but their shiftiness really pushed me to grabbing Ellie and running. Then again this is from Joel perspective. Lord knows if this is how things really went down. We just have to take his word and feelings on the subject. Though I think this turmoil and lack of "happy ending" is good part. It does open for a sequel but I doubt it. It isn't Nate. I did go with your suggestion. I really want to look at the lie.


	19. Highs and Lows

Highs and Lows

Hey! Thanks Rana (Thanks. I figure it would be awkward and both feel guilty), GalenMoOn (He would have gone berserk...), Romancedagger, Idlesc2, guests, and Moon Golem

Joel's chapter:

_Things happen and we move on... _

Tommy kept staring at him. _Shit. _Joel took another bite of the hamburger. _Jeez._ This was the best burger! He hadn't had one since everything ended and he forgot how good it was. "So, you guys have a lot cattle?" He took another bite. Anything but talking about what happened. He wanted to move on past the lump in his chest.

"A few. You missed the question." Tommy was still looking hard at him. "Why did they stop looking?"

He took another bite to buy some time. "The surgeries didn't work. The patients died and they didn't want to continue, when it didn't work." He gulped down another bite. None of that was a lie persay just the truth bent.

Maria raised her eyebrows and then shrugged. Ellie was eating. Not like him, wolfing everything down, but she was eating. It was a good sign.

Tommy hadn't even touched the sandwich. "They just stopped?"

"Yep." _Hard to work when you're dead._

"Was Marlene there?" Ellie stopped eating. _Damn it. _Joel hated the guilt that was eating at him. He just couldn't lose her to something that was not guaranteed. They could talk about this later. One day she would catch him and they would at least talk about it like Tess and Sam but for now it was still a little raw.

"Yes." He admitted after a second. A small weight settled in his chest.

"Did she tell them to stop?"

"Not really, but she gave up on it too. She made peace with it."

Ellie looked at him now. _Shit. It was time to try the vegetables._ Peas, carrots, cauliflower. "Tommy is lucky to have such a great cook." He regretted trying to change the subject when Ellie looked hurt and moved her food around the plate.

Tommy shook his head. "Fine, Joel. Do this bullshit. You are only hurting yourself. You are-" Maria touched his arm.

_No, I'm not. _Joel took another bite. "I'm not lying. They stopped looking and I'm glad." Ellie crinkled her nose in confusion. "But its not your fault they stopped." He reassured her. "It just was a bad situation. No one would win." He wasn't lying about it at all about things he just didn't explain his own involvement, which was fine. This was not her fault. It was never her fault.

Ellie sighed and took a bite. Tommy began to eat too. He still couldn't look at his brother or at Ellie. _This was harder than I thought._

Maria shifted. This wasn't her fight and she only heard of these people and didn't want to weigh in on this issue. It wasn't her town. She walked into this shit and was going to walk right back out. "Are we going to play cards, tonight? The Johnson's wanted us over, but I can cancel."

"You guys can go. I'm tired." Joel admitted. He hadn't slept since being knocked out the day before. He was running on fumes. Besides, they all needed a little space to lick their wounds.

"No. It's fine." Maria politely reassured. This was the one place on earth that seemed to remember manners.

"Go have fun." Ellie chimed in. "I'm not in the mood either." She continued to pick and choose food off her plate.

"Fine. We won't stay too long." Tommy grunted and dug into the vegetables. Maria definitely had him whipped because that man used to be strictly a meat and potatoes kind of guy.

"Don't worry about us." Joel told him after he cleaned off his plate.

"You guys are staying this time for good." Maria asked. She began to collect the plates and the serving bowls.

"That's the plan." Ellie nodded. Finishing the last of it.

"Good. Well you can stay here as long as you need. Though, I'm sure Joel will have his own plans." She winked at Ellie.

"We'll see. Ellie help her with the dishes." Ellie rolled her eyes at his suggestion.

"Come on. We got some stuff to talk about." The girls went in the kitchen. Maria didn't mind the help even if he had to prompt it. That left the brothers to talk.

Tommy shook his head at Joel and got up. Joel knew his brother would be mad. He might be a ex-firefly, but he still had a little stock in the group. It would take him a few days to cool down. Joel moved to the couch, but before he could even sit down. Tommy was making a noise in the back of his thought that sounded just like their father.

"If you don't mind. Could you not sit on the couch." Joel raised an eyebrow. "Ellie might be immune to your smell, but you smell like a sewer could you go take a bath."

"Fine." Joel sighed. "You really got soft. Back in the day, you would go weeks without a shower and that was before the infected came into the world."

"Shut up." Tommy cracked a smile. "It's my house. When you build your own you can walk around buck naked and do the hula for all I care. Just don't sit on the couch."

Joel snorted. "Whatever you say Martha Stewart. I will just go take bath."

"Clean up after yourself. Or get Ellie too since you are training her to be a maid."

"Yeah yeah. I'll deal with it." He went to the bathroom. A bath did sound kind of nice. He did have to look at his cuts. There was still some shrapnel in his calf that he couldn't quite get. The room was a tiled thing that was so clean. No mold on the wall or anything. It was really nice.

He turned on the water and got undressed. Where the bullet grazed his arm was healing up. He picked at the bandage he slapped on it in the car. He would put on a fresh one soon. The calf was..._eh... I had worse._ Small BBs were stuck right under the skin. He scratched at it.

The tub finished up and he cut the water off. It was a process to climb in the hot water, but when it was over and done with it was really nice. He hummed and leaned back. He could stay here a bit...

-.-

"Joel?" He sat up. He took a nap in the water, but it was still warm. He couldn't have been out too long. Ellie had just let herself in and was shifting nervously. "Tommy and Maria went out." She came into the room and shut the door.

She walked in further and put the lid down on the toilet before she sat down. She was looked at him. They sat in silence for a second. He had to take a bite "Everything okay?" It was a little strange talking to her being naked while she got to wear clothes.

"Yeah. Just a little tired and bored." She admitted.

"I can help with the boredom."

"JOEL!" She turned beet red and buried her face in her hands. He smiled. He just did that just to see what she would do. It felt like when they were at the cabin, just the two of them.

"Now, who has a dirty mind." He was smirking.

"Jerk." She looked at him through her fingers. After a moment she asked "What did you have in mind?"

"Backrub?" He teased.

She made a face "I don't think you deserve one."

He frowned she was right, but it would be nice. Ellie shifted closer despite being embarrassed she still wanted to talk to him. It was nice to see her happy again. This was the Ellie he saved.

"Need anything else?" He didn't want to live up to all things Marlene called him. He was fine being a selfish, old man.

"Fine, hand me the bar of soap." She sniffed it before handing it over.

"Smells nice. You think they make that here?"

"Probably. Ask Maria." He used it on his hair. "So, what did you and Maria talk about?"

"That if you keep making me do dishes. You can sleep on the couch."

He fake-coughed. "Bullshit."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "We are going to the greenhouse tomorrow." She crossed her legs and still just casually watched him.

"Ah." He dipped below the water to get the soap out. Ellie made eye contact as he resurfaced. "What are you going to do?" She asked.

"Not sure. See about about getting something started with the house and see if Tommy is talking to me."

"So, we are staying for good?"

"Yes."

"Alright." She took a breath. "Do we tell Maria and Tommy about...?" She looked down at her hands. She meant 'them'. "I mean they might notice that we still share the same room." He was honestly surprised.

"Later. When we have our own place; so, they can't throw me out." Joel shifted to get up. "Hand me the towel."

"Oh." She turned around and got it. She held out a towel for him. It blocked her view of seeing anything. He grinned and took it from her and wrapped it around his waist and went to the sink. He studied Tommy's electric shaver. "Do you want me to shave?"

"Nah." She was still watching him. "What happened to your leg?"

"Some Shrapnel. It will be fine." He self consciously picked at it. A little more came out. It would be a few days, but it would fine nothing got to deep.

"Ah." She stood up. "I think I'm going to go read..." She started to slip past him. _Not so fast. _He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in his chest. She laughed "EWWW! You're wet!" She kicked at him, but if she wanted out she could have slipped out of the hug. He just wanted things to be like they used to. He was tired of walking on eggshells and being the person who hurt her.

"It's just water." His voice dropped more than he meant too "Aren't you going to take a bath?"

"No. I'm going to read." He kissed the back of her neck. "I love you." He just had to tell her. He had to make this right.

"You too."

He let her go. She looked over her shoulder and gave him a smile before she went to go read. He pulled on his boxers and went to their bedroom. As long as she didn't hate him, they would be okay. He laid down on the bed letting the softness draw him in. He drifted off catching up on his sleep.

-...-..

The room was dark when he felt the bed dip. Ellie had finally came to join him. He offered her an arm so she could use it as pillow like normal, but she slept on the edge of the bed.

He shifted closer and Ellie slid away. "Are you okay?" Something was definitely wrong and he wasn't really sure what to do right now.

"Fine." Her voice shook, but she didn't move any closer. Joel took his arm back and let her have her space. Maybe she needed a little more time.

"Night, Ellie."

She didn't reply. She needed a little more time...

-...- (Ellie)

Ellie had been riding a rollercoaster for a last week since they arrived in Jackson. Things weren't normal, but they were and it was so weird. She spent most of it helping around the house and following Maria who didn't seem to mind having someone else to order around (She was a lot like Joel. Do this. Do that). Joel had kept himself and working on getting them a house to live in before they totally wore out their welcome.

She just couldn't get over how easy it was for them to talk like nothing happened, but she just couldn't...

She just couldn't touch him... He broke something that day in the car. He didn't trust her and she didn't trust him in return. But she still wanted him around..._GODDAMNIT, this was confusing. _

It just didn't seem right to being sleeping with him, when so many people out in the world suffered. She knew it was silly (Joel already declared 'fuck the world' on that issue) but she couldn't. It would take time. And he wasn't going to talk about it.

She held the hose and sprayed the water over the small tomato plants that grew in the greenhouse. They had everything! They had food she only dreamed of trying and some stuff she never heard about. Things with weird names like squash and rutabaga and so many more.

Maria leaned in "Don't drown them."

Ellie moved the stream to water the other plants. "Sorry."

"It's fine." She pat Ellie on the shoulder. "I got good news. Joel and my Dad finally agreed on a corner lot house. The men will start fixing it up. Excited?" Maria was smiling "Because Joel is still grinning like an idiot" The town existed before the infection and Maria's Dad saved what he could with the people who wouldn't leave by building a fence. A few families stayed but not all the houses have been occupied. Now, it would just waste too many materials to build new. Or at least that is what she understood about it all.

"Sure." Ellie shrugged she just found it hard to really get out of her thoughts. "Having a house will be cool."

"Okay... if that didn't help. We are having a party in couple weeks. It is a spring fling kind of the thing and will be fun." Maria smiled and lightly punched her in the shoulder.

_Okay, a party did sound like fun. _"Very Cool." She smiled. "So music? Dancing? Food?"

"All that and more. We have quite a few boys around here." She tucked some hair back. "I'm sure they would love to dance with someone new. Someone really cute." Maria was a good woman, still bitchy but her heart was good.

Ellie could feel the blood rush to her cheeks. She didn't know how to feel about all that. She just wanted to things to be good again, to have fun. "I don't know much about that..." She wanted Joel to drunkenly dance her around.

"Tommy will keep Joel busy if we don't find him someone. There are a few women in town who would not mind having him around." Ellie didn't like that idea at all but she didn't have a chance to say anything.

"ELLIE!" Joel yelled in. He walked in scanning the room. He lit up when he spotted her. He practically vaulted over the tables in the middle to get to her.

"Speak of the devil." Maria nudged her.

"They finally gave in. Want to go see the house?" His smile was a little infectious. It was hard to be mad at him even if she just wanted to talk it out. He would definatly not being dancing with any of the town widows.

Maria took hose. "Go. He won't leave until you go with him."

"Okay. okay, Joel." She let him lead out.

A/N: Thanks for R&R. We will continue following their ups and downs until I can establish a plausible relationship between the two after all the crap that happened in the game. As for a last of us 2 and 3. I don't know what to feel. Either way, I ship based on what I seen. I'm sure when the next game comes out I will start my next saga.


	20. Settling In

Settling in

Thanks to everyone who favorited the story or followed. I can't believe that I made it this far. Thanks to Gwenzilla (I'm glad you came to the darkside and that you liked the last chapter. I was worried), ichame, and Master Hollow (He will figure out in his own time), Talath Rana (a housewarming fight! LMAO), doomsta27, and megadiary123

Oh I am sorry about grammar mistakes. You guys have been so kind and it had been really nice. I just update so often. I focus on that. Sorry in advance.

-...- (Ellie)

"What do you think?" Joel leaned in smiling. "It's on the inner fence with some trees and I talked them into having our own fence as a extra defense." Despite living in his paradise, he still didn't trust it. She doubted he would ever truly relax.

Ellie just shook her head as he lead her around the property. Pointing out where he would put this or that. She had to admit; it was cute seeing him plan. Her tough as hell survivor smiling and planning for the future.

The house was in the back of the town a decent walk from Tommy and Maria's. It was pretty untamed for being within the fence, but it was where they fit in. Maybe it was good to be have a little space. They hadn't told them about what they did, but her and Joel just hadn't been doing that either. It was weird.

She looked at the house. It was a two story house with all its windows (A plus now-a-days) and had a nice size porch. It was gray and looked like it needed some paint, but it could be a really nice house if you squint

"Here we could have our own garden." He pointed off at a fence only he could see.

"I think that is against community rules..." They seemed to have this all for one, one for all thing going on here, but it was in a good way.

He blew that off. "As long as we give the community its due, I don't think they will really care. Oh, over here we will have a chicken coop." Eggs were amazing.

_Boy, you are really gone around the bend._ "How about we finish the house first and then build one for the chickens?"

He came back to her. "Did I tell you about the house." His arms went around her and picked her up into a small dance. Nothing more than a sway, but it was nice. "I was thinking we would like the nice big porch to sit on in the evening. I could get my guitar (He traded a guy some of their stuff for one. Really, he was bad at communal living...) and you can read in on the porch swing we would hang right there."

He led her into the doors into the living room that was a just a had an old couch and needed new paint. "A large livingroom and kitchen with a big island in the center and then three bedrooms and two and a half bath." It sounded like something out of a magazine. _What's a half bath anyways? _They danced around the empty room.

"What plan on switches bed every other night?" She swayed with him in their future living room.

"If you want." He went with it. "For now, I was thinking one room would be for all the books and the other will be a stock room incase this goes to shit."

"You're full of shit." She couldn't help but nuzzle into his chest. Seeing him so happy was uplifting and in the near quiet of backlot of the complex she found some peace with him.

"Maybe just a little." He mumbled into her hair. His hand rubbed down her back. "You okay? You still seem out of things." She knew he didn't want to talk about 'it,' he just wanted her to know he was there.

"Sorry, it is hard to believe we are staying here." She admitted. It truly was hard to think of it. Boston was a lifetime ago.

He touched his forehead to hers. "Yeah. I'm afraid it will be a dream and I will wake up." She wanted to kiss him so bad in that moment, but something held her back.

He didn't kiss her, but slowly pulled back into a dance. He dunked her before finishing it. "They have a movie tonight. Do you want to go see it?"

She nodded it really didn't matter what the movie was; she would go see it.

He gave her smile and kissed her hand.

"I better get back to work in the garden." That became her little job and she figured she better earn her keep in town especially when he was determined to keep his guard up.

"Alright. I'll walk you back to the greenhouse." He hadn't let go fully. One hand lingered on her back.

Ellie waved him off. "I'll be fine. This isn't the QZ." She pushed off his chest and twisted out of his grasp. "I'm sure you got stuff you need to be working on."

"But."

"I'll be fine. See you at dinner." She turned and started making her way back making her way back to the town. Maybe Maria would want to see it after dinner, but before the movie.

-...-..- (Joel)

He was a one man crew when it came to his house, but that was fine. Structurally, the house was solid. There was a little rot on the porch, but he could replace it easily. The town proved more than self-sufficient in terms of having enough wood and he was able to replace it. They even had stain to seal it. Next some windows cases needed to be replaced. He got the place hooked up with water and electric, but now it was just little jobs that he could do without Tommy.

Not that Tommy offered. He had a two front war to fight.

After that, he got some paint for the wall. He let Ellie pick out of the limited the selection and he went to town painting everything. It did make a difference. They would just have to pick through the furniture. Just a few weeks and they would be could move in. He was ready.

That project was fine. Ellie was confusing. He never knew where he stood with the girl.

During the movie they were for lack of a better word...cuddled and at night... At least Ellie was against his side. She even started her good night kiss again. It was good to have that. But it had to help if they weren't living with his brother. Then they could maybe talk some of it out.

_Maybe thats how things would be here. _He guessed it was fine. He just wanted her and if she wanted him as a companion that would be... fine.

He rolled up another coat on the all. He still wanted to give her a nice home. She deserved at least something she could call her own.

"Looks good, big brother." Tommy walked in and did a once over with his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah. It think I did a good job." It was nice to be fixing things up, instead of just wrecking it or living with it.

Tommy walked around the room nodding. "Ellie likes it?"

"Seems too."

"Well, I got you a housewarming present. We pulled it off one of the other old houses and I figured you would enjoy it."

"You didn't have too get us anything. You took us in."

Tommy waved it off, "It's in the wagon. Come on." Joel put the roller in pan and followed his brother to the door.

It was a porch swing. "Damn. Tommy."

"Come on." Tommy pat Joel on the back. "I'll give you a hand."

The brothers worked on anchoring the swing on the porch roof. It was one hell of a job. The balanced the swing on the railing while they attached the chain. "Maria and Ellie have really bonded." Tommy said as he adjusted the chain.

"Yeah. It is nice." Both women seemed to fill some hole both women had in their lives.

"She's a real nice girl."

Joel wondered where this was going. "She is."

"Well, Maria and Ellie were going dress shopping for the town fling crap. It should be fun." Joel had heard about this dance thing from Ellie. "You built a great house." He helped lower the swing so it supported itself. "Here goes nothing." He sat down on it and it supported his weight.

"Life hasn't been great to you Joel. You have a chance to settle in and put everything behind you. And..." He took a deep breath. "I'll cut out the shit. Maria and I would take Ellie off your hands." Joel sat down next to his brother in shock _That's where all this was going_.

"Maria and I haven't been very lucky in terms of... you know... kids. Maria likes Ellie and it would be a good chance for her to have a normal life. Both of you can get past everything."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't. No." Joel got up. He went back to the door. "Your heart is in the right place, but I couldn't."

"I thought you would tell me that." Tommy got up. "I had to ask for Maria's sake."

"I'm sure you will have kids one day. Things happen when they happen. Can't rush it."

"Yeah." Tommy looked out towards the woods taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "I don't know why you wanted to be on the fence. Sometimes the infected get a little close..."

"I reckoned you guys would trick me into guarding the wall and I wanted to be able to stand near my place."

"Ah. Figures. Well, about that. Are you going to step up or will I have to put your name on the schedule. You're making me look bad here." His tone was joking, but Joel knew there was something to it.

"Yeah. If you want me too tonight I will. I understand you don't want people talking about the mayor's lazy brother."

"I'm not the mayor."

"Right. That's Maria.-Ow" Tommy elbowed him, but didn't mean anything by it. "It's fine. I will start carrying my weight. I just wanted out of your house and you can't blame me. Remember when you lived with Sarah and Me for six months? You were going crazy."

"You gave me chores!" Tommy laughed.

"Can't spend all you day sleeping, playing video games, and claiming you were going to some school online without me taking some notice. I had to put you to work or you would have stayed."

"Shut up."

"I don't think college is liberal enough to have a class dedicated to porn and the internet."

"Joel. I'm giving you a warning." He shot his brother his evil look.

And they both broke and laughed. "I think everything that happened since the last time I seen you was for the best."

"Not for the best. But I'm glad I came along with Ellie."

"Hell, I don't even know what really pissed me off back the zone."

"Firefly shit."

"Yeah. I'm glad I didn't stick around with them." Tommy admitted

"Things will work themselves out." The men nodded. "Where are the girls getting dresses from?"

"Between the scavengers and the dressmaker in town. She makes the clothes special order and does nice work. She made Maria's wedding dress."

"Hm. What does she want for it."

"Trades stuff. I think Maria bribed her with some desserts and a thing of jam for it."

"I would be glad to pay you guys back."

"Don't worry about it. Maria never really had a chance to be all girly. Her mother died when she was pretty young and she was her dad's son. So, she is having fun getting to do stuff like this. It is like the nail polish."

"Women." Joel sighed.

"Come on in. I got some beer in the fridge." The brothers went into the house. Maybe Tommy would help with the paint.

-...- (Ellie)

"Holy Shit." She did a turn in the mirror that stood outside of the dressing room curtain. This dress was way too nice for her. It was burgundy and had this 50s feel with a boat neckline that was just too cool. It flared out at the waist and was so soft. She twirled around in it and watched the fabric in the mirror.

It was a great dancing dress. _Well, if she knew how to dance like they did in movies. _Ellie had gone dancing, but it was much more dancing-like-no-one-was-watching-stuff. Just goofy stuff that didn't require a partner. She had danced with some boys. _Fucking slow songs._ They swayed. Even Winston couldn't so much more than that. Only Joel had some sort of moves. She saw him and her dancing like he did when he was drunk.

She studied herself in the mirror. Joel would like it.

"Yep. We better call the fire department because this girl is on fire" Maria checked on her and was smiling.

"Ellie" Blushed. "You like it?"

"Yep. I will have to tell all the mom's in town to watch their sons. You look amazing." She turned came over to Ellie with a matching ribbon and covered up the scar on her arm. She leaned back. "You outdid yourself, Luanne."

The other lady came into the room. "I did. Look's great on you, kid."

Ellie twirled and played with the fabric. She could see the party like in a musical. All the boys and then...Joel... Yeah... _Would he dance with me? _Her feelings were mixed about dancing with boys her age and Joel. It was kind of messy. They got over David, but the hospital was hard to swallow and she had a hard time imagining dancing with someone at the party. She knew she couldn't imagine Joel dancing with anyone else. "It's not too fancy for this?"

"No." Maria came over with a pair of heels. "Most of the women dress up. It doesn't matter what the guys wear, but they will clean up. That is good enough. Try on these. I asked around and I think they should fit.

Ellie tried them on and wobbled in the heels. "Whoa..."

"Keep walking around in them. You'll get the hang of it."

"I might be able to walk, but not dance..." She tried to balance.

"You'll figure it out." Maria still beamed at her.

Ellie tottered over to her and Maria pet her ponytail. "You'll knock 'em dead." She pet Ellie once more. "Now change out of it. You can practice at home, when I'm cooking dinner."

"Okay." She slipped off the shoes and ran to the dressing room to change.

-...-

"The house is pretty much done." Tommy bragged. "I had to help him finish it. He just didn't know what he was doing." He took spoonful of soup.

Joel shot him a look. "You show up on the last day and magically it is all done?-"

"Well, the dress came out great." Maria happily took a sip of her own soup.

"Do I get to see it?" Joel asked Ellie and she found herself blushing. She hoped he would like it.

"No. You have to wait." Maria cut in.

He pouted or at least as much as he could pout. "Fine. It will be a good surprise. Well, after dinner, I have to go I was talked into the watching the fence." He scooped up a spoonful with some of the meat in it.

"What?" Ellie didn't like the sound of this. She hadn't slept away from him since... yeah... since the hospital.

"You'll be fine." Maria pat her hand. "He'll be keeping everyone safe and we are down the hall if something goes wrong." That thought did help, but she didn't like the idea of sleeping alone.

She felt his leg brush hers. "I didn't volunteer for it, but don't worry." Her cheeks got warmer.

"Okay. Just be careful."

"I will." She watched him eat. She didn't like the idea of him out there at all.

A/N: Hope you like it. R&R As a side note you should be happy with me. A dog bite my hand (My dog made a new 'friend' and I got in between this on accident) and it ripped open my knuckles on the back of my hand and I still keep trucking. I look forward to tomorrow. I aim to make this story at least 50K if not more it depends.


	21. Green Eyes and Apple Pie

Green Eyes and Apple Pie

Thanks to everyone! I wrote like crazy (I couldn't sleep) and you can expect two chapters today.

Thanks to doomsta27, guest, danceallday, ceetee (we will get there), Talath Rana (I know... it is killing me. Also, that is what family is there for to paint your house for keg. Shadwo 12 (Ellie can't stay away for long.), Ichame, Master Hollow (we will have to see), I forgot what I (yeah she was asking about if they should tell Tommy and Maria that they are together). Gwenzilla (There will be dancing and adorableness), DamianBlack 92, Kenny 9x3 Thanks my reviewers are epic!

-...-..-Ellie

Life went on and the dance was only a couple days away. Joel even said that they should be ready to move into the house right after the party. It was exciting.

They had been running in circles. Joel had been busy between the house and his shifts on the wall. He found his calling, protecting his new home. He was like a dog in that respect. He needed a job. He even left with a scavenger team for an afternoon to pick up some supplies for the party.

Apparently, they did leave the walls when it suited them too. _They didn't want to live in a prison. _She was tempted to go with them, but Maria talked her out of it. Joel didn't mind the idea (He must of known she could hold her own or maybe he didn't like leaving her in town...)But next time she would go with them. Even if she really had enough of the outside world it still was something to see.

Things had been going so good that things weren't so awkward between them. They even did... um... make out (yeah... that word never fit him). It was a lot of fun.

Two nights ago...

_He came to bed after working the graveyard shift. Dawn had just begun to break and she wake up. She was a light sleeper without him beside her. She quietly watched as he stripped to his dark blue boxers. Something he only started since they came here. _

_As he climbed onto the bed he noticed that she was awake. "Morning." He laid out on his back and opened his arm for her to slide to his side._

_She did and he wrapped his arm around her. She leaned up for a kiss on his cheek and they caught lips and well. _She blushed at the memory_. They kissed chastely until his tongue touched her lips and hers met his. It was sloppy and fun. He turned to his side so face her and still hold her. _

_They broke for air. "Aren't you tired?" She asked as they touched foreheads._

"_Definitely not tired." He purred. _

_She giggled and they went back to kissing until they had their full. _

"_Do you want to.." He shifted closer. Holy Shit, he was hard. _

"_I'm fine." She slipped her hand down his abs. "Well, a little couldn't hurt." She gave him a teasing smile._

_He kissed her again as her stomach growled so loudly she could hear it. Fuck. Apparently, it got used to eating at certain times. He laughed at her and kiss her forehead. "Go eat breakfast. They were up. I'll take care of it myself."_

'_take care of myself.' That was a tempting sight. Him in bed with his hand. Her cheeks got hot, but her stomach demanded attention. Reluctantly she agreed, but that image stuck in her head._

_He watched her leave. He didn't seem mad. He at least got to see her get dressed..._

Ellie blushed at the memory as she broke up a clod of dirt with the claw hammer. They had been too busy to finish that with everything going on. But it had been nice to just do that.

Planting kept her busy. She helped transfer a few of the plants from the greenhouse to the garden now that they were strong enough to survive and spring was officially here.

It was really cool to be doing stuff like this. In Boston they tried to make a garden, but they never had much and people stole most of it. She just liked seeing her hard work bloom flowers and soon food. It was a community effort, like taking care of the animals. No one told you had to this or that, but you were expected to find a job you liked and she did. Though, she did like to feed the chickens.

Jackson was a equal opportunity work place. Men helped in the garden by breaking the ground with a horse and plow and a group of women watched the fence, but for now her group was managing the field, while the men went to work on building the platform for the dance. Maria tried to talk her into decorating the thing, but Ellie been wiggling out of that. They had a few parties in Boston for Christmas and the summer zone party, but it was different than theirs.

So, she stuck to her job with the cabbages they were planting. Maria was about five feet down already planting her seedlings, and there were more of the women were down the line. They talked about everything from the weather to their kids and husbands and about the bandit problem. Ellie tuned most of it, but sometimes it caught her interest...

"So. They want to hook up the music system." Ellie liked the sound of that. She imagined the dance to be like the one described in the books. All these women in checkered dresses dancing doing a "ho-down." Which sounded kind of dirty now that she thought it. She had to focus to catch back up with the conversation.

"No live band?" Another woman asked.

"They might at the beginning. But hey, if those guys are playing the music then they can't be dancing." She winked at her friend.

"Good point. Have you heard the new guy with the guitar?" Ellie's ear perked up. There were only two new people in town...

"Yeah. He plays on the porch sometimes. He is cute in a rugged kind of way." _Cute! _The women were older than Maria judging by the light wrinkles near their eyes. They must have been those widows... with nothing better than to talk about people they had no business talking about. She huffed and broke another clod of dark dirt. They weren't allowed to call him 'cute.'

"If he is anything like Tommy he can dance." One smiled at Maria. Maria smiled wide thinking of Tommy, she had a soft spot for husband.

"Is your brother-in-law looking for a date. Because Ashley is looking for some companion-OW" The brunette lady threw dirt at her blonde friend.

"Shut up!" She wiped her hands on her pants.

Maria laughed. "He hasn't said anything." She looked like she wouldn't mind hooking Joel up with some stupid bitch. Ellie just knew this woman was bad news.

"He's fine." Ellie cut in.

The women looked at her and seemed to remember that she liked to follow Maria. "Is he your father?" The one with brown hair asked. She looked scared like she might have ruined her chances to bag Joel.

"No."

"Stepfather?" She wrinkled her forehead trying to figure this out.

"No." Ellie would gladly tell her. _I fucking sleep with him. _

"What are you exactly...?"

Maria cut in. "Friends. He took her in and has been taking care of her for the last year." Maria and Tommy had to know about her and Joel, but were just polite to say anything before they got facts until then they were going to push.

The lady looked relieved. "So, he is good with kids."

Her friend through dirt at her this time. "Don't go planning the wedding."

She smiled at her friend and swiped the dirt off her pants. "I will have to bake him some of apple pie. I'm sure he will go with me to the dance."

Ellie gripped her shovel. This was not cool. She got off and knocked the dirt off her jeans. "I'm going for water." It was stupid that these women were already looking at him and making plans. They didn't know him at all! She wanted to kick that woman in the dirt and leave her there because this was so STUPID!

Maria looked at her. "Okay." She studied the younger woman who was fuming "Bring me back a cup."

"Sure." Ellie marched out of the field. Maria might have to wait a while. She was going to have a talk with him. Under no circumstances was he too accept a pie from anyone in this town.

-...- (Joel)

He couldn't help, but smile at Ellie. You would have thought it was poison and she uncovered a spy plot.

"No pie." She repeated.

"You still haven't told me why?" He was working on the platform with Tommy and the other guys who were recruited. He was trying to angle in a corner board when Ellie stomped up to him telling to say no to some woman with a pie.

"Doesn't fucking matter." She crossed her arms. "Just know to say 'hell no.'"

"Yes ma'am." He joked. Tommy was shaking his head, but kept his trap shut.

She looked like that was an acceptable answer, but still had her arms across her chest. "Good. I'll check on you later." She marched off heading back to Maria and the garden.

"What was all that about?" He moved the board to be secured. The platform was wide boards that were easily assembled to create a stage over a metal frame. They were going to lay out the tiles to make a dancefloor once this was done.

"Ashley."

"Who's that?"

"Her husband died five years back. She has been looking to fill his shoes. She has a couple of kids, but they are older than Ellie. But her signature trap is apple pie" He clicked the next board into place. "It is good pie. She brings it to potlucks. But it comes with a price when you get the whole pie to yourself."

"Oh." Ellie didn't want him to go on a date. _Why did she think he would accept? _

"She's not too bad. Still a pretty woman. And she can cook and dance. You would like her."

"Naw. I'm good." In more ways than he really wanted to tell his brother.

Tommy laughed. "Ellie might kill your chances of getting a woman. She gets jealous." He added another board to the framework. "A lot of people leave her?"

"She has a list."

"Ah. I don't think she doesn't have much to worry about. She has a home here. Maybe when we have another party she will let you have a date."

"Doubt it." Joel clapped his hands they finished.

"Maybe she will have a date to keep her busy." Tommy dropped down to the ground.

"Hell fucking no." Joel didn't like that thought. It was a sensitive subject. He still was trying to figure out how he felt about the future for them, but he couldn't watch that.

"Down Kujo." He clapped his brother on the back. "Come on. We keep the dancefloor parts in the storage shed."

-...-

"Night Ellie." Joel touched her side. He had been signed up again for the night shift and it wasn't that bad. He just missed being with her at night. Maybe that is why his brother and sister-in-law kept giving him the night shift as the only open time.

Dinner was good. Ellie had helped and it was one of the best. She seemed to be in a good mood now that she cleared the pie threat.

"Night." She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He wrapped his arm around her middle and pull her off the floor to kiss her on the mouth. This had become their night routine on the porch. He didn't give a shit who saw at this point. "Be safe." She said breathlessly.

"Of course." He lowered her to the ground. "Don't stay up too late reading." She rolled her eyes. Neither let go of the other. She had gotten a huge collection of books from the town library. It was beyond him why they kept trashy books like those in there but as along as she liked them.

"I won't."

"Like last night?" She didn't get to sleep until three-thirty.

"How did you-"

"I can see our window from my post. I can see the light." He was going to watch over her even if he couldn't lay down next to her.

"I just can't get to sleep..." She admitted. She studied the buttons on his shirt.

"Hm. We'll have to fix this schedule or get you more pillows." Nicole used to make a pillow-Joel when they first got married and he was working the graveyard for the road construction. That job sucked, but at least she could sleep.

"Schedule." She nodded.

"Well, Tommy's probably cutting the deck. Go. Kick their asses." He leaned down to kiss her cheek. His brother was right that she was a card shark.

"I will." She squeezed his side.

They separated and we went to his platform to watch the forest. It was no more than a deer-stand. The guy who watched the post during the afternoon already climbed down the ladder. "Nothing too exciting." He had a bow and arrow and rifle. They guy passed him the stupid warning bell. If he had to use the bell they were fucked.

"Good." Joel climbed up, turned the chair and took the seat. He had a great view over the electric fence and if he turned slightly he could watch Tommy's house.

If they give him the worst hours, he wanted to be able to watch his family.

A/N: We are building to the party and they still got some stuff to work out. I did work in a little smut. I will try again at that.


	22. Save the Last Dance

Save the last dance

Thanks again to everyone who read and commented. It was a double updated because it was the one way I could thank eveyone for over 200 comments. Thanks to guest, Gwenzilla ( I laughed so hard reading yours. Pie leads to sexy time... of course you use it to seduce men...) , Talath Rana (Smut will come.), ichame, doomsta 27, mega diary123, and Unwritten, and Master Hollow

I know I'm a horrible tease but I did update twice today! I hope you like it. It is super sweet.

-...- (Joel)

"Like it?'

Joel's jaw dropped as he finally got to see the dress he was only allowed to hear the vaguest details about. '_It covers my boobs and has a skirt," she teased last night. _It was so much more than that.

It was her favorite color and went with her figure showing off her neck and just the right amount of legs. It just fit her damn good. He was loss for words.

"I'll take that as a yes?" She made a face before turning and pulling her reddish brown hair into higher ponytail than normal. She left her bangs out to frame her face.

"You look beautiful." He told her the truth. _She deserves so much more than me._

Ellie tried to wave him off, but was blushing. "Have you seen a ribbon bracelet? Maria got it for my arm..." She scoured the dresser.

"Here it is." He picked off the nightstand. He wondered what that was...The lady who made the dress made a flower out of the fabric so it was like a corsage for Ellie to wear. "Come here."

Ellie walked to him and he slipped it on her arm before she could take it. This was the most of her arms she ever bared and her skin was so soft and pale with freckles doting along. He rubbed his hand up her arm. "Do we have to go to the dance?"

She popped him lightly. "I learned to walk in heels for this. We are going. Now clean up." _Now who is demanding._

"I did." He was kidding. He was a mess from work covered in dirt, but to see her looked him up and down with that look was too funny. "Joking. I'll go catch a shower. I'll be right back."

"Thank god. I didn't know how to tell you."

"Joel you fucking stink, take a shower before I get a hose." He filled in "That sounds like you."

"Just a little." He let her go so he could clean up. She dropped onto their bed and was slipping into her heels.

He hoped he could borrow one of Tommy's nicer shirts for this. He just didn't want to embarrass her. He took a quick shower and cleaned up his beard. He trimmed his beard and just smoothed out his rough edges. He looked decent enough..._Here goes nothing._

-..-

He did show out. Ellie seemed very surprised and pleased with how he cleaned up. They all walked to the party that started at dusk. There was music already playing and the food was being set up. The games they set up distracted the kids and everyone else was mingling. It wasn't anything he seen for the last 20 years.

It turned out great. The dance floor was in the center and they brought picnic tables from the community center around it. They had white lights strung over it all and candles on the tables with fresh flowers for the centerpiece. But all that mattered was how the lights sparkled in her eyes.

He took her hand in the crook of his elbow and led her around to a table like a gentleman. She may have learned to walk in her shoes, but not that far. He stopped at a nice table. She sat down and crossed her legs like a princess. "I'll get you something to drink."

"Don't forget about us." Tommy wrapped around Maria and kissed her neck as he sat down. She looked stunning, but glowed when she got a hand on her husband. She was probably one of the first right things Tommy did in the last twenty years.

"Fine. Just this once. You are getting the next round"

Tommy casually flicked him off behind his wife's back.

Joel went to the coolers they set up and pulled out three beers and then got a cup of green punch from the table.

"You do clean up nice."

Joel turned to face a burnette. "I'm Ashley." She held out her hand. He put down Ellie's glass. He took her hand gently. _This must be the pie woman..._

"Joel."

"You come here alone?" She had on a sky-blue dress and was a pretty woman. A bit older than Tess, but still a pretty woman.

"I came with my family."

She smiled. "I came with my sons." She nursed her punch glass. "So, you look like you can cut a rug. Would you like to dance with me later? Not many guys here can."

"I'm decent, but... a dance." He looked past her at Ellie who was talking with Tommy. By the way her mouth was running she was excited. "I'll try."

She smiled at him at him. "Sounds good."

"Well, I better get back to Ellie."

She touched his shirt. "See you soon."

He quickly returned to Ellie and passed her the drink and their companions. He cracked open the bottle of homebrewed beer. Apparently, they made everything here...He took a sip. Ellie babbled on by his ear about great everything was. She helped with the flowers.

"Dinner is ready!" The women at the table announced.

The whole town lined up and got their plates. It was fried chicken and pulled pork. They had scalloped potatoes and some casserole dish. It looked great, but they didn't start eating. Ellie looked at him confused. "What's going on? Why aren't we eating.."

"We say grace and Dad does an announcement." Maria said. She was still petting Tommy's forearm.

"Oh." Ellie held her stomach she was hungry. He touched her leg under the table.

"Everyone. Please bow your heads."

Maria's dad stood in front of the band. He was had gray hair, but still looked strong and healthy. He led his town in a little prayer and made some town news. "We welcome Jane and Henry's new baby. It is boy and very healthy. Henry said he weighed seven pounds." The crowd cheered. He grinned and let them have moment when it died down he held out his arms "I, also, would like to make an official welcome to two newcomers." _Oh Jesus Christ on a cracker. _"Tommy's brother Joel and Ellie." Everyone looked their way. "They come from Boston and have chosen to stay with us." Joel smiled wishing he could melt into the ground. Ellie waved. "Now raise your glasses. To another year!"

"TO ANOTHER YEAR!" The crowd cheered.

Joel raised his beer and took another swig. Tommy's father-in-law joined them at the table. Joel had met him when he wanted the house. "Thanks for the welcoming."

The old man smiled. "Any brother of Tommy is a son of mine." He smiled at Ellie. "And Maria talks highly of Ellie. I really am glad you have come to stay." He started to work on his dinner. "We always need more people."

Maria pat her dad on his arm and the family started eating.

Once the darkness came, the band struck up and it was a party. The bandits and infected for miles heard their music and the town didn't give a damn.

The kids still ran around the tables playing tag and other games. A few men were throwing hackysacks at a board. Other stood talking and slowly more couples were going to the dancefloor.

He had made it easy and made his own bucket of beer. He offered his beer to Ellie and she took a sip making a face. She let him have it back. He took a swing and offered again. They had shared that beer as he watched the party go on.

"Excuse me." A dark skinned boy leaned in. "Can I have a dance?" He couldn't be much older than Sam had been.

There was a group of boys a few tables over watching how this went. Apparently, this kid was the bravest to come over and ask Ellie.

Ellie looked up at him and Joel nudged her. "Go make his night. One dance." Joel knew where she was going home tonight. Besides if he didn't say she could he knew the rest of his family would have something to say...

"Um... okay." She tucked her bangs behind her ear. "Ellie."

"Marcus." He led her to the dancefloor. Joel watched. He knew he made a mistake. He would rather have Maria chew his ass out then see Ellie looking at anyone else.

Maria smiled. "I knew she would be popular."

_Please don't let that be true. _He gripped his beer. _If that kid is closer than two feet... I swear to god. _The two teens had no sense of coordination and were just swaying to two separate beats.

Joel took a deep breath. He couldn't stand watching her dance with anyone else. _This was going to be a problem_. He knew what he said in the hospital. He didn't want to trap her, force her into marrying an old man that would just get older. In the back of his mind he knew she was too young and in ten years would be only 24 and he would be... He frowned. He just couldn't watch her with someone else...He looked down at the drink. He was going to let go just a little. It was her choice (They better just not overstep their bounds it was too easy to make a shiv at a dinner party)...

As the song ended another guy leaned in. He was older than the other kid and he wanted a dance and Ellie didn't look back this time. She was the bell of the ball... He was going to get an ulcer from his. He reached for another beer.

_This party fucking sucks._ He watched the older kid and Ellie hopping around to watermelon crawl. No fucking way was he going to let some...

Tommy nudged him. "You going to earn us a pie tonight?" His eyebrows shot up.

"Do I look like a prostitute? Or one who would work for pie?"

Tommy squinted. "Not my type, but I think Ashley would pay."

Joel huffed and took another drink watching Ellie. Her and the other teens were thrashing around. She liked to shake her butt like a true city girl in a club. No wonder the boys wanted to dance with her. _If they start to grind on her..._Ellie looked back at him and smiled.

She kept looking back at him as she finished the dance and smiled at the boys and came running back.

She grabbed at his bicep. "Dance with me."

"No. Go have fun." He was too damn old to be jealous of some dumbass punks. She tugged. " " She begged in his ear. It was awfully hard to turn down a pretty girl. It was nice to hear her promise sugar on top and everything.

"Fine." He swung over on the bench. "I'll show them how it is done."

They danced a two step to a country song and all he seen was her smiling at him. He twirled and spun her as they hopped into a two step. Those boys didn't know how to dance. They better leave that too the men around here. "When did you learn to dance?"

"You were drunk." She admitted and followed in time.

"Well, I am a great dancer when I'm inebriated."

She laughed and he dunked her and went back into the pattern. One, two and back. He lived for these little moments. Sadly, the song came to end. He leaned in. "Dance with who you want, but save the last dance for me."

He felt her kiss his cheek. _We are okay._ Those punks wouldn't try anything and she could deck them and then they had to deal with a shiv master.

He didn't make it to the table when he got the call. "Hey, cowboy."

_Great... _He graciously gave her a dance. He felt kinda bad if he didn't and he didn't need bad Karma.

-...-Ellie

She wanted to meet more people her age, but damn. There were a lot of boys and it was awkward being the center of attention. The boys were nice enough and cute. And there seemed enough to go around because there weren't many girls standing around... One of the towngirls waved at Ellie and smiled. They were really nice here. That was a little weird... she really wasn't used to people just nice because they were nice...

Another boy came to ask for a dance."Hi. I'm Albert." He must have been about sixteen and had brown hair. He was tall and thin. He had slightly crooked teeth, but was kinda cute.

She took the boy's hand. He seemed to know a little more about dancing and it was okay. He led them in box and was trying hard not to look at their feet. Until she just looked down and back at him and smiled wide. It was okay that they weren't that good.

"So, did you like Boston?"

"It was cool. I still had to go to school and you had to deal with the military more than out here, but it was cool."

"You weren't afraid coming out here?"

"Naw." She smiled like the badass she was. "It was worth the view."

"Why did you come here anyway."

"We had to meet some friends and then Joel's family is here so we might as well live here too." They finished the song.

The boy nodded. "Can I have the next dance?" He asked softly.

"Sure. After I ditch these." She slipped off her shoes. Her feet were hurting. She going to go barefooted. He better not step on her toes if he knew what was good for him,

The music switched to a DJ and the band went to their wives and girlfriends. The guy howled and turned up the song. It was a hip hop dance song.

Albert grabbed her hand "Its called the wobble. Come on. I'll show you how to do it."

_Damn. _Ellie liked this dance especially the wobble part. It felt sexy and it was funny to watch everyone else at the party "wobble." Tommy dragged Maria out and they were having a good time. She just couldn't find the one person she wanted to see.

She turned to look in the crowd dancing. She concentrated her hearing and zeroed in on his voice. She knew that accent anywhere. He was by the drinks and was talking to the _**pie**_ woman.

She missed a step. _What did she tell him about the pie? _She got back in line and stepped out and in. Watching him.

Joel looked at her and smiled disarmingly. Maybe he was showing some pity to the lady...

The DJ who was wearing some glasses yelled. "WHO IS HERE TO PARTY!" The crowd cheered and she joined in. She was going to have to watch him.

-...-

The party raged past most of the little kids bedtimes. The DJ kept playing a mix of country and dance music and it was really cool. She swore she danced with every boy there. She scanned around once more for Joel. He was back at the table talking to Maria's Dad. That lady left him alone, but probably not for long. Ellie spotted Ashley by the table helping clean up the buffet. _Better make my move..._

As the song ended, she made her way to the edge of the dance floor and ignored a boy calling for her.

Her feet were killing her after Damian stepped on her toes and she just wanted to go to bed. It had been fun, but exhausting. It was last dance time. She snuck up on her bloater.

She dug her thumbs into his back and made a small circle. "Ready for the last dance?" She whispered in his ear.

He pulled her around him "It has been a great party, but she wants another dance lesson."

Maria came to her Dad and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't think you are getting out of a dance with your daughter."

He smiled knowingly at Joel. "They never really grow up."

Joel winced, but Ellie demanded his attention. _Don't think about it too hard..._ She led them to the edge of the floor. She didn't care if they met tempo at all. She just wanted to rock side to side with him and enjoy being in familiar territory.

"You okay, baby?" He asked as he ran his hand along her lower back.

The lights above them flickered. She nodded. "I'm just tried."

"We can go to bed and-"The lights cut out and the music stopped. The whole town bathed in darkness.

"The damn turbines." She smiled at the pun and tried to not grip him to hard. The whole dance floor froze. The lights flickered on and then went out again. Everyone waited a second hoping the lights came back on but nothing happened.

They heard Tommy. "Everyone go home! Lock up. The fence should hold, but take precautions and lock up."

"Maria! John, Toby, Mark, Kyle, James, Joel and any man willing to hold on platforms. Could I see you for a minute. Everyone else lock up. Don't let anyone in unless you know them."

The town moved, but not in a panic just rushed like a fire drill. They seemed to know what to do. Doors and shutters were slammed and secured and she was left clinging to his chest not sure what to do.

A/N: Can't just have a romance in the world full of infected and Bandits. See you tomorrow!

The song lyrics that I kept listening to Save the last dance for me. I think it would be really cute because I kept seeing Joel singing

"You can dance, go and carry on

Till the night is gone

And it's time to go

If he asks if you're all alone

Can he walk you home,you must tell him no

'Cause don't forget who's taking you home

And in whose arms you're gonna be

Save the last dance for me"

It was too. hot.


	23. Cowboys and Bandits (Updated)

Cowboys and Bandits (updated)

Thanks again to Alpha Lima One , Afack, Talath Rana, razisgosu, doomsta27 , JadziaCee (I wondered where you went!), a (I really do appreciate telling me your favorite lines. Those tend to be mine as well. Also that ex-boyfriend was cool, lol (or whipped). I wish I could train a man to do that),  .58 (I couldn't help but use the song)nand unwritten (I worried about you too). Where is MoonGoelm and Galeon Moon?

A/N: If things get settled Joel might have to join the live band of Jackson. It would be too cute.

-...- Joel

Joel gripped at her as his eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness. He should have packed the damn flashlight. He was glad they were dancing when it happened, he wouldn't have wanted to lose her. Other people already began to move and were moving out, family huddling, and taking a lanterns and candles off the tables as they ran to their homes to lock up and prepare for the worst.

Tommy flashed his light by a metal shed attached to the community center. Joel led them to his brother, who found emergency lights and was giving out orders and handing out supplies to ready an army. He really did step up and take control.

"Toby. John." He looked at the men, he didn't call. "All of you get on the platforms and shoot anything that gets close." The men nodded and took their supplies and bells. None were panicking, but took the extra items offered. _This is probably routine for when the lights go out he reassured himself. Just precautions. _

"Everyone else we are going to get supplies and head to the dam." He handed out the last of the rechargeable flashlights. Joel took his.

Maria grabbed her husband's arm. "I'm coming too. Ellie go stay with my dad." Maria and her Dad had joined the huddle in the light. Joel's grip tightened. He looked back at Ellie. He knew she wasn't dressed for this, but he didn't like the idea of letting her go. Things happened when you separated...

"You are going with your dad too." Tommy cut his wife off.

"No. I can help." _We don't have time for this..._

"No.. we are come along." Ellie added. _Nice try, kiddo._

Maria turned to look at the girl. "You don't have a choice." She looked back her husband, "Fine, I will go with Dad and handle things here. Be careful." Maria kissed Tommy on the mouth and Joel looked away. Ellie was still clinging to his arm. "I'm going with you."

He turned to her and held her. "Okay. I don't really want to separate either, but you aren't dressed for this and it would be best if you stay here."

"But!-"

"Baby, stay here."

She stomped her barefoot childishly in the grass. "Fuck it, Joel."

"We have go." Tommy looked at him.

He had to reason with her somehow. "Maria's got her link and can call. I'll stay by Tommy." Her grip got slightly looser, it must have satisfied the teen.

"Be safe." She leaned up for a kiss, but that wasn't a really good idea right now in front of... yeah no...But...

"I always try to be." He pulled her into a hug and brushed his lips to her ear. "I love you." He whispered in her ear before letting go.

"Joel!" She didn't have a chance to say anything back because Maria and her Dad caught her and took a light. They sandwiched her and led towards the hill where Dad lived. Maria was already calling people making plans for defense.

Joel frowned. She would be okay here. She would be okay... They stopped at the house to grab what they would need. He grabbed his bag that he still kept armed and full. He guessed he never believed that they would have too much peace.

They brought out the horses and the men saddled up. It was time to ride out. _Please just be a short or wire crossed._

-...- (Ellie)

They slammed the door shut and the adults in the room went into attack mode gathering supplies and securing everything. They barricaded the door and Maria went from window to window pulled the shutters and locked them down. Her dad had went to the closet and pulled his guns and a pack. The three reunited and went up stairs to barricade and prepare for whatever would come. _Please be just a power outage..._

The upper windows had the same thick shutters but had slots to shoot out or throw things out of. _These people are ready for war. _She didn't have much time to admire their castle. She had to keep up with Maria who dove into a guest bedroom. She went into the closet and pulled out a sweater and some jeans. "Here Ellie. I hope they fit."

"They should.." Ellie pulled on the jeans under her dress. They were long, but that did help... wearing her dress and fighting infected didn't add up in her head.

Maria threw her a pair of socks and grabbed some stuff for herself including a backpack with supplies. They changed and went to the attic to join Dad who was on the lookout.

It was a widows peak. A small balcony you could step out on and see the whole town and to where the dam was.

"We can see the town. Everything is okay." Maria radioed Tommy and dug in her bag to pull out her night vision binoculars and looked out toward the dam. "I can see you guys. Be careful."

"I will." Tommy linked back.

"You guys seem prepared for this..." _Joel would appreciate this kind of preparation. S_he made a mental note to tell him about the houses.

Ellie shifted and shouldered her rifle that they loaned her and looked out at the rows of houses. The turned off lights above the empty dancefloor swung in the breeze. Only the candles left the tables had any light. The men all had taken their posts. The railing was pulled up to make shields for them and they found helmets. They were ready for the worst. She still listened for the moans of the the infected. But nothing yet.

"Oh, it was worse during the first few years. We barely had the fence secure and there were a lot more infected. But it was fine and we will be okay." Dad pat her shoulder. "We are survivors. We got this."

"It will just be a long night." Maria said. She hadn't taken her view off of the men climbing the hill toward the dam.

-...- (Joel)

"Shit." The found the gate wide open and the man that was supposed to be guarding it on the floor in a puddle of blood. Joel gripped his revolver.

"Bandits." Tommy cussed and radioed Maria. "Bandits. Look out down there."

He turned back to the guys. "Okay, you two figure out what they fucked up." He told the guys you fixed it last fall. He pointed at one more. "You guard them." He turned back to the others "Everyone else. Let's clear out the rest of the fuckers."

The men nodded at their general and they separated." Joel followed Tommy to check out the scaffolding that let to the turbines. They moved quietly and approached the door.

Joel listened to the wall.

They heard some whining. Tommy went for it. "Buckley?" The dog limped to its master with an arrow in his paw.

"Shit." Tommy went to help the dog and broke the arrow off and removed what he could and wrapped the paw. "Good boy. We got it from here." He pet the dog.

Joel didn't want to watch. He moved to try the door. The knob turned, but the door wouldn't budge. He listened again. There was somebody in the office building. "They are in there."

The two other men nodded and went the other way around to get the angle on them. Joel crawled to a window and looked in. He couldn't see them... He wedged open the edge and prayed it didn't make too much noise. He slid in the window and dropped down behind the desk and made his way to the table. One of them was standing with a bow in hand and his friend had a gun.

"Man. We got to get out of here."

"We haven't got the signal." The one with gun said.

"We cut the wire. That will keep them busy." He shifted. "I got a bad feeling."

_Damn right you should have a bad feeling. _Tommy dropped on in the party. He slid to the side and gripped the shiv.

"They were all at their fucking party. It had to be tonight to get past their guards."

"But. Man up."

Joel signaled and they jumped the guys leaving them their own blood.

They moved deeper in to see if they only sent these guys. Tommy was already calling Maria. "They are planning a raid. Pass the word."

"Roger."

"We better hurry this up and get back to town. They will need all the help they can get."

**Bang. Bang. Bang **They heard shots rattle off the metal walls. They moved to the turbines were the shootout was happening. Joel moved behind one of the machines and took out a bandit with a headshot and another. How could have that many guys...

The lights flickered. The engineers seemed to work well under pressure.

**Swoosh. **Joel leaned forward. His shoulder hurt like hell and was really hot. He didn't have to turn to see the arrow stuck in. _That motherfucker..._ He groaned and focused on where that shot came from and shot the intruder. They guy dropped and he slid down to the floor. Stupid arrow.

"Goddamnit." Tommy cussed and finished the last of the guys. He was looking for more and hadn't noticed anything.

"All clear on the outside." One of the other men called. "We will stay here and guard the plant. Go home and clean up. The lights came back up. The fence should be working now..." The guy looked at Joel and made a face.

Tommy stopped and turned at Joel. His lost some color. "Don't touch it."

Joel already touched the stick and it burned like hell. "Then help me."

Tommy danced around and made a noise in the back of his throat. "It went clean through..."

"Just Fucking deal with it."

One of the engineers came over and whistled low and handed a leatherman tool. "Clip off the arrow and you will just have to pull it out..." Great this guy was the doctor too?

"Shit. Sorry in advance" Tommy gingerly clipped the end off without moving the stick.

"We're even. I owe you a new shirt." Joel just focused on not thinking about it. _It could have been worse. He reminded himself. _ He focused on something beyond the piece of wood sticking out of his chest. He thought Ellie and that dress...

"Hold still." Those were never good words. Joel braced and burned the image of her dancing with him in his mind as Tommy quickly pulled it out, It was like pulling off a bandage. Doing it fast might make it hurt less, but fuck when you did it it burned. A rag was applied as Joel just kept cussing. This wasn't rebar bad, but damn he didn't think he would be here...

"Just hold that there. Can you move that arm?"

He gripped the fingers and lifted it slightly. It burned like hell. "Its not broken."

"Good." Tommy offered to pull him to his feet with his good hand and Joel swayed. "We'll head back, Just hold on." The other guys who were coming back joined them. They kept checking for more bandits.

"I'll be fine." Joel growled. That ride back was going to kill him...

-...- (Ellie)

Ellie danced around since there wasn't much she could do. Maria's Dad kept telling her not to shoot. There was some raid and the guys at the fence seemed to keep it at bay, but she wanted to help and standing up here watching seemed cruel.

"It's dark; you might shoot our guys." He explained and Ellie danced. _Shit. _Tommy wasn't kidding about the raid.

Maria kept scanning the area when the lights came on. One of the bandits screamed as he flew from the electric fence.

They didn't hear anything from Tommy for a minute. The women held their breath for a second. **crackle** Maria jumped for it."What's your ETA?"

"A few minutes. We had a problem?"

"How's Joel!" Ellie cut in before Maria could say anything.

There was a pause. "He'll be fine, honey." _That didn't sound right. _Maria must have had the same idea because she called back "What happened?"

There was a pause, probably asking Joel for a good lie, he answered. "Just a arrow. He will be fine."

"Fuck." Ellie danced around more. She should have went with him. It was stupid to separate.

-..-

"Anyone else hurt?" the married couple consulted. Tommy carried Buckley too her and they both were holding the dog between them.

"No."

"Here?"

"No. The guards kept them at bay."

"Good." They hugged and held the dog. Ellie ran past the couple.

"Fuck it, Joel." She dove into him when he finally was within reach. She made sure she was on his good side. This wasn't rebar bad, but this wasn't good either. She hugged more and was pulled up until she was tucked in his neck. She couldn't help but kiss his neck. It was too close. They held on closer and he pull away.

"Are you okay."

"Yeah. There were some guys who tried to climb the fence and they had gun, but the guards had it handed." She rambled "we were watching for you guys and you scared the shit out of me."

'I'll be fine as long as you are okay, baby-girl." He kissed her forehead.

"We better get you too bed." She pet his chest. _You had a rough night..._

Then there was this noise like a dog about the bite. She loosened up. Joel didn't growl at her, it was Maria and Tommy. She took Joel's bag from his good shoulder. He didn't need to have anymore weight on his back.

Maria looked at Joel pretty hard for a guy who helped save her town.

"Better be gentle with him, Ellie." Tommy added. He didn't look much happier. Maria's Dad sat down on the porch watching this go down.

Ellie wondered why they got so mad at her hugging and talking to Joel. She could hug him if she wanted.

"Let's go home." Tommy wrapped an arm around his wife's waist leading her away. He even put Buckley down and the dog hopped after them.

"I think I want to spend it at my house." Joel leaned on her. _So, something was wrong. She didn't just read it weird. _

"I don't think that is a good idea." Tommy tried to smooth things out. "We have the guards out tonight but..."

"We were going to move out anyway. What's the difference? Ellie." he motioned for her to walk with him. She hoped it was staked up with medicine. She shouldered his back pack.

"I think we all need to have a talk." Tommy said.

"Not tonight." Joel

They had a standoff for a second. Tommy bent first.

"Fine."

"Night." She called as they walked towards their house... Something told her things were going to be awkward with them in the morning...

A/N: Hope you liked it. Oh my hand is healing nicely. The only good thing is I feel badass like Joel. I took it all like a man. Anyway, I did add because I'm setting up Maria doesn't think their touchiness is out of just being good friends.


	24. These are my confessions

These are my confessions

Thanks to everyone. Talath Rana (You just gave me an idea. Honestly, I was slowing down but now... bhwahahah. You are brilliant. Also, you are right women do through a lot of pain…). Romance dagger (Yeah...), doomsta27 (That was a Ellie pun),  .58 (not quite 20 hours :)) Guest, megadiary123, Master Hollow, Gwenzilla (I am ready to be shot and for infected. I got this. lol.)

A/N: I did update the last chapter to add to it. Basically, the other adults are little uncomfortable. I am over 50K and I did this in a month. I did the NaNoWriMo challenge. Sweet! I am good for the year. Thanks to everyone who supported me because if it wasn't for the comments the story would have stopped a lot sooner... Also, if you throw out ideas, I tend to listen. I write this for you guys as much as I write for myself.

-..-(Joel)

Joel walked into the house. His house. Because he knew when he wore out his welcome with his sister-in-law and it was best to get moving. He really didn't want to think about that family chat.

Ellie helped him to the couch and Joel took a chance to breath, but he didn't lean back. She ran off and returned with some pain killers, a towel and alcohol to clean out the wound. She have him the medicine first this was going to hurt.

"Let's clean it up." She said as she helped take off the shirt. He didn't mind her undressing him, but under these circumstances this was not fun. He hissed as she pulled the fabric off the wound. She wet the towel. "Sorry. this might-"

"I know. Just do it quick." She dabbed it on and _Fuck. _

"I don't think it will need stitches." She wrinkled her forehead. She applied some salve she found and the gauze came next. She secured with the medical tape. At least, they weren't in a basement in winter...She climbed over to look at exit wound and started work on that. He tried not to think about it as she worked.

"Was it everything you imagined?"

"The dance?" She bite her lip as she dabbed on ointment. "It was a lot of fun."

"You looked like you had fun dancing."

"Yeah, I wish I could have finished that last one. Could you pass me the gauze?" He passed it back to her and took a controlled breath.

"So, pie lady caught you?" _So, you were watching me._.. He found himself smiling at the thought.

"Yeah... I didn't earn my pie."

"You better have not." She growled like she would slap him on the back... right on the wound...

"Little hellcat." He pat her side. "I wouldn't have wanted it" He could feel her finishing her work. She came back to look at him and she kissed his temple. It felt nice. She moved down his neck. "This night did not work out the way I wanted it too."

"Me either." She mumbled in his neck on the side away from the wound. She kissed and sucked at skin. "Don't leave me again."

"I won't." He used his good arm to hug her closer. She rewarded him by playfully nipping. "Damn stalker." She laughed at him.

"Stalker?"

"If I'm bloater who can keeps on ticking; I think you are at least a stalker by now." She kept kissing.

"Thanks, I guess." She sucked on his skin and then kissed the abused skin. She paused for a second to ask, "Do you think you can lay down with your arm? Need me to make a sling?"

"Might help..." She left and he regretted asking her. His side was cold without her. She returned with a wide dish towel she made him a sling and wrapped him up. "Thanks."

She kissed the corner of his mouth. "I'm just glad you came home."

"I am too." He kissed her back. Maybe his shoulder was good enough for it... He pulled her in with his good arm and they kissed for a long moment.

She ended the kiss. The clock he found in the house and wound up rung. The pair froze. **Ding. Ding. Ding. **"I think it is time to go to bed."

"Yeah."

She got up and he let her help him to his feet. She looped her arm around him like when they walked into the dance. "Led the way."

They walked up the stairs and he took her to the first door on the left. She looked around and lit up. He hadn't let her see the second floor of the house. It was a surprise.

"Whoa." She looked at the big bed and practically spun around to keep looking at the other stuff. He made her bookcase and filled it with books she hadn't read. He even scavenged art for her. It was like a room that someone lived in before the infection rather than the broken down, empty houses she was used too. Joel smiled tiredly. He was glad she liked it. He finished one room he was going to let her have the rest of the house to finish up.

He went on to the bed and pulled back the covers. He slipped off his jeans and left them on the floor and made himself comfortable in the clean sheets. Ellie wandered off into the bathroom and came back. "You did a nice job with the tiles."

"You picked them. You better like them." She turned off the light and joined him in the bed after leaving her clothes on the floor.

"I'll get the rest of our stuff tomorrow..."

"Yeah..." He didn't want to see Maria for a few days... The neighbors better get some popcorn because that fight will be one hell of show.

"I think she knows..."

"Yeah... Tommy and her know something and they seem to like you more than they do me. They wanted you to live with them."

She curled up on his good side with her hand resting on his chest. "I think I'll dance with the guy I came with." She kissed his shoulder.

"You are pretty friendly tonight." Her lips left his skin. "Not that I'm complain-errr anything. I mean it is nice. We haven't been in the..."

"I needed some time." She rest her cheek against him. "If I promise not to get mad, will you just tell me the truth." He just entered the danger zone...

"Honestly, I couldn't let them go with the surgery." He tried to figure some way to put this. It was like trying to explain to Sarah about Nicole and how it was going to be just the two of them... "You didn't even want me to go to the dam. What if Maria told you there was no way that I would come back and this may or not save the town? Would you let me go?"

'Did you want to go?" She looked up at him and his eyes focused on the wasn't going to make this easy.

"Let's say Tommy and other guys are pushing me to be the big damn hero and I say yes. I leave and you can't quite make sense of it all."

She bit her lip. "I..."

"Along the way, you make a chance run because you can't stay there and watch, and somehow get to me before I go into the dam and convince me we should quit it. You turn around and Maria is the only thing standing between you and me running out of that death trap? She is pointing a gun and you have to make a choice. That's what happened."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry. I was selfish. But you were more important to me. No cure was worth... you." There he told her the damn truth.

She sniffed. "Asshole." Joel nodded and felt a weight off his chest. At least she knew. She lightly hit his stomach. He sighed.

"Please don't hate me. You don't have to forgive me, just don't hate me"

They were both quiet for a minute. What was moving into a new house with a good fight... _She probably does hate me..._She caught him off guard hugging him around the waist. "Asshole. Fucking Jerk."

She sniffed.

"It will be okay, baby-girl." He wrapped his arm around her. "We are tough."

She took a deep breath. "I know."

The weight was off his chest even if she still was curled on him. He felt so tired. He closed his eyes and just held her. It was all he could do. He hugged her as she mourned for Marlene and for the people that his selfishness couldn't let her attempt to save. At least, they had that out in the clear.

-...- (Ellie)

Ellie stopped crying when she heard the snore. He was still signaling all the other runners out there that he was one of them. His snore said, 'It's cool, guys. Go about your business.'

She wiped her nose with back of her hand and laughed a little at him. She sighed. At least she knew what happened. He couldn't let go. She didn't know if she could have made the same choice but... She looked up at him.

He was right. They were tough.

She couldn't hate him for it. He would fuck over the whole world for her in a minute and she felt... the same. He was the one person that hadn't left her and she wasn't going to let him go. She kissed his shoulder. They were in it to win it. Together.

She kissed his shoulder again. "Goodnight, I love you."

He grumbled and tried to roll over on his bad shoulder. He winced and turned the other way to hug. Someone trained him not to snore. She smiled and curled into the hug. He made her feel so safe.

She would have to find some way to smooth things out with Maria. Tommy seemed willing to let Joel do whatever Joel wanted as long as the town was safe. She just didn't know how all this was going to happen. She rested on his chest. _At least we have our house..._ She knew his families hearts were in the right place, but she was as much a part of this as he was.

She still couldn't help but dream about what could have happened instead of the stupid bandits. They could have went home and... she smiled. At least she was going to have a good dream about it...

-...-

"Here chicky chicky." Ellie cooed at a chicken. "Just move over. Ellie wants that pretty egg you're sitting on. Come on chicky, move over." The bird seemed to listen, but as her hand came close the chicken moved back to where it was sitting and Ellie jumped. She didn't want the dumbass bird to peck her. This job was not worth the trouble.

"Come on. Just fucking move." She sang to it. She faked right and got the angle on the egg and added it to her basket.

She went down to the next nest. The chicken flew the coop and she was able to grab that egg.

Things had been weird since the dance. Maria seemed to get over the bee in her bonnet a little and they had been back to working together. They just didn't visit at night or play cards (and for the love of god don't talk about where you sleep...). She missed the games... not that Joel was in the mood for cards...

At least the older woman hadn't made the small fight public or start accusing anyone of anything. She seemed to want more answers, probably for Tommy's sake. They hadn't had the family meeting yet because of Joel's injuries and their stubbornness to drag their feet on the issue.

The next chicken was ready for Ellie and was already moving side to side pecking ready to get her if she came close.

Her Joel had been in the mood for other things despite his shoulder and it was good. She smiled at the chicken while thinking about last night. Having their own place was nice. They couldn't sneak around, but they could be louder...

"Hey Ellie." A voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to look at one of the boys she danced with.

"Hey..." She didn't really remember his name..._ What do you want?_

He moved over and easily got the egg from behind the chicken. It squawked, but didn't peck him.

"How did you?"

"Practice and you have to show them who's boss." He added the egg to her basket. "So, is your friend okay? We heard one of the bandits shot him in the leg or threw a cocktail at him or something." News did travel, but it was a little hit or miss.

"He got shot with an arrow in his shoulder, and he is doing good. He wanted to go to work last night, but I wouldn't let him." It was a good decision. He didn't even want to wake up this morning.

"Ah. Good, that he is doing better, I mean." The boy ruffled his brown hair awkwardly. He looked a little older than her, but was way thinner. He hovered inches above her and was so gangly.

"Yeah." She moved to the next nest. The boy automatically went for the egg and added it to the basket.

"So, are you going home for lunch?"

"Community Center. They have french fries today." She smiled. The women around here knew how to cook. They used the center for the school lunch and most of the adults gathered there too to talk and eat. It saved on using home resources and the women could COOK!

"Wait for the pizza." He gathered two eggs out of the next and just kept adding to the basket.

"So, mind if I eat with you?"

"I eat with my family normally..." It was awkward, but she didn't want the boy to get any ideas..

"That's cool. If they don't mind me, I won't mind them." Joel will mind.

"Okay. Do what you want? It's your head." _I gave you a fair warning..._

He laughed and helped finish out her section of the chicken coop. "I like to live dangerously. I'll see you later, Ellie."

"Bye." She still didn't know this kid's name...well if he was going to do her job for her she didn't mind the attention.

She shook her head and slipped two eggs out of the basket into her pocket of her jacket. It was against the rules, but having some extra eggs in the morning was worth dealing with the chickens. She carried the basket to distribution center. They made sure that each family got two eggs a person and the rest would be for the community. But Joel and her could make omelets...

A/N: We need a bit of a breather and Ellie is too cute that boys wouldn't be flocking to her. I am glad they finally came clean now they can have 'fun' with no problems... Well except one...

See you tomorrow. I don't know what is up with the song titles...


	25. In for a Penny

In for a penny

Thanks to everyone who commented! Talath Rana (I know I think I would have been pissed but I can understand where Joel is coming from. Most parents could never give up their children and Spouses could not give up their other half), ichame, Romancedagger (TY), Unwritten (Thanks, I will keep it up), Liam1 (Thank you so much! I try to set my word limit everyday and that forces me to go back and add details. I am also trying to beat the clock because I have to finish this before I have to start school. It sucks being the teacher. But thank you so much.), Gwenzilla, (He will feel the friendzone, lol. Maria might have to get over it but she will give Joel a piece of her mind.) Doomsta27 (I didn't want to make his confession to over the top. I wanted to at least address it though so they could move on. Another pun to love), Master Hollow (That's okay hate him. he is not my goal. How could she want a boy when she got a man. lol.)

-...- (Ellie)

For lunch, it was just her and Joel. Tommy and Maria had some work come up and they told them to come over for dinner. Things had been strange with those too. She was mad at Joel but not at Ellie and it was just weird. It helped that those two were so busy. So, they found a table at the end of the row where they could just enjoy the food and each other.

"Joel!" He took a fry from her basket and ate it. He had his own, but he just had to have hers. He smiled charmingly at her. She took a fry from him to make a point. In the bustling cafeteria no one noticed them.

She nudged his shoulder enjoying a private joke. The lunch was great, but the company was the best part. She was glad they had a moment to themselves.

"Hey Ellie." That boy showed up holding a plate with a pie on it. _Oh Shit. _She completely forgot about him.

"Hey..." it's _what's your name..._

Joel gave the boy a nodd. But the boy surprised them both he joined them at the table. "I-I brought you a pie. My mom's are the best in town." He couldn't be related to..._oh god _he was! Same brown hair. Pie. Stick their nose in your business attitude. It was her son...

Ellie about choked. Joel gracefully took the pie. "Thanks. Tommy will be thrilled. He told me all about the pie. Is that apple by any chance?"

"Yes, Sir."

"So, you are her youngest?" _How long did he talk to this woman?... _

"Yes, Sir." Joel was eating up it up. He loved making that poor boy squirm. She nudged him in the ribs still a little mad that he knew so much about the kid's family. "How is your shoulder?"

"I'll be fine." He turned to look at Ellie. "She is a great nurse."

"Oh. Really? That's cool." He smiled at Ellie. "She is a really cool, young lady." He blushed looking at his food. _Oh Jesus. _

The little luncheon was awkward and Joel came up with a million questions just to making both teens uncomfortable. Only when the other townspeople began to retreat to their work were they finally able to lose the boy. They slipped out and she lead Joel back to the house.

"So, you got an admirer." He looped her hand into the crook of his arm. She used her other hand to hold the pie dish. They had about half left. The boy insisted that they could have the rest and return the dish later. It gave him a reason to stop by. She still didn't know his name...

"Shut up. I don't need a boyfriend." Her face was hot. He was just teasing her to see her blush, but he didn't have to enjoy it so much.

"Oh. Really?" He turned down their street.

"I got something better." Her man. She squeezed his arm.

He couldn't help, but smile as they stepped up on the porch. "Just one thing bothers me..." He said

"Hm?" He opened the door for her.

"That family and pie."

"I KNOW!" She laughed. "What's up with pimping the pie." She stopped "But I have to say It is good pie." She didn't have a large sample to draw from, but that lady's dessert was one of the best. It had a flakey crust and the right amount of sugary sweetness. Though, she wanted to try it ice cream. Joel said that was really good.

"Really good pie."

"but not worth it. I could learn to cook."

He laughed and led her to the couch. She left the pie on the coffee table as they began to kiss. "I'm sure you could learn."

"Don't doubt me." He kissed her neck. She might be late for work.

-...- (Joel)

They were kissing on the couch after that ridiculous lunch. The pie lady's son! Honestly, it took a weight off his shoulders knowing the bravest boy in town was that lady's son. He didn't have to worry about that young buck stealing Ellie away. Besides Ellie didn't even give the kid the time of day. It was just a joke and she was being too polite to outright tell the boy to move on. She was still all his.

The pair didn't even lock the door as a couple of simple kisses become more.

She moaned against him. Ellie broke the kiss and pulled her shirt off revealing her bra. _Fuck. _He leaned in for another kiss this time with tongue. She met him blow for blow.

Blindly, she went for the buttons on his shirt next. They liked to keep things balanced. Normally, he let her lead, but sometimes she needed prompting. He pulled her in his lap with his good arm and started to suck on her neck dipping lower down her collarbone and exposed skin he could find. He left his mark and kissed each spot again. He couldn't get enough of her.

"Joel!" he playfully bucked her up with his legs and kissed down between her breasts. It gave him a better angle and she didn't protest much more as his lips trailed over the cups of her bra.

She careful ran her hands up his chest and back down. He wasn't sure where she learned to drag her nails in the right places, but the girl was too good at turning him on. She even managed to carefully avoided the bandages not that he would have felt it if she did. He was lost in the skin.

His hand slide behind her and with one hand he twisted the hooks and popped her bra off. She gasped and arched. He kissed the now exposed skin dropping the bra to the floor.

Ellie wiggled around in lap and kept petting down. His hand slide down to her ass.

He lifted his lips off of her breast. "Couch?" Here would be fine... more than fine. But if she wanted to go to bed he would have carried her in a heartbeat.

"Couch." She nodded. _Damn_ he loved her. He loved every inch of her...

-..- (Ellie).

Ellie yawned and opened her eyes. It took a minute for the world to come into focus. _What the hell... _She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. They were only taking a quick nap.

"Well, thats one way to spend the afternoon." Joel yawned himself.

"Fuck." She sat up slightly.

He snorted. "Did that today alr-OW" She got him in the ribs. Her pillow talked too much.

The room was dark the only light came from a streetlight outside. _But we came here at like 1 in the afternoon. It can't be dark already. Oh Shit._ She never went back to work and that wasn't good. It wasn't like they would be too mad at her but when you say you are going to be there and don't... She leaned her forehead against him. It was supposed to be just a quickie. She put the pieces together. It turned out to be a little more than she expected. It was good enough that they both ended up taking a nap _'Just a few minutes.' He mumbled into her hair. Shit._

'Dinner?!" She lurched up.

He stretched back and looked at the clock. "We might be in some trouble." Though he didn't sound too worried.

"Shit." She slipped off of him and went to go find that bra and wherever her underwear went. 'Are you just going to lay there?!" The world swam a little bit.

Joel shrugged. "I'm good."He was buck naked on the couch and he was apparently "good."

She slipped on her underwear and sat down. "Shit." She got up a little fast and her brain didn't like that.

"They will be fine. I'm just glad they didn't see what kept us so busy." He pet her side.

"Yeah." She laid back down on his chest and took a breath. "Oh well. It could be worse." He wrapped around her and gave a squeeze. They both knew it could be a whole lot worse.

She rested her head against his chest. "You smell all musky and shit." It was sweet and sour with hint of saltiness.

He coughed a laugh. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not really. But you are going to take a shower." She teased him.

"Bossy today." He settled in the couch clearly showing that he was content were he laid.

"Say it again and I won't take the shower with you." She playfully wiggled her eyebrows against him and kissed.

"I didn't know it came with that offer." He purred.

_How did the saying go... _"In for penny out for a dollar."

"Pound." he corrected "Let's clean up and then head over to Tommy's. I bring them something to drink."

"How about we just call them and say I was feeling sick or something."

"Ellie." He sighed. "Fine. We'll tell them something"

"I'll read to you tonight." She threw that in too. There was no way he could say no.

He made a happy noise and let her get up. "Fine." He followed and even took her hand as she walked up the stairs. It really wasn't so bad accidently sleeping in.

**Knock Knock Knock**

Joel froze. He was still naked and she had on her underwear. "Go," He tapped her on the ass.

He took off down the stairs and yanked on his jeans. He threw her clothes to her and slide the rest of his under the couch. "Go!"

Ellie took off up the stairs.

-...- (Joel)

Joel opened the door to his brother who looked mad and tired.

"I see your radio is dead." His boots stomped on the floor. _Oh Lord. _Joel shut the door. The whole neighborhood didn't need to know their business.

"Look. I am sorry about dinner. I ended up taking a nap and lost track of time. I'll make it up to you and Maria. Just come eat here tomorrow."

Tommy turned on him, "Forget about the stupid dinner. We have bigger troubles."

"Oh?"

"The bandits that broke into the plant took shit. A couple plant maps and supplies and tools are missing. Random stuff. The ones in town managed to find a break in the fence and in the dark busted a supply closet and no one is quite sure what they took. So, that was my day."

"Goddamn."

"You can say that again brother." Tommy went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of the town's beer and cracked it open.

"Why didn't you say anything before."

"I wanted to get the facts straight and I have covering your ass with Maria. So, I didn't have time. We have dealt with these guys for a while. But this was strange. Normally, they Peter Rabbit their way through our garden. But we usually stop them before they do any damage."

It's only natural that the have-nots want to raid the people who do have. Experience taught him that. _What is he worried about? _Joel studied his brother trying to put the pieces together.

"Covering my ass?"

"You have no idea."

Ellie peeked around the corner of the stairs. "Sounds bad." She walked down and joined the men. "Hey Tommy."

"Ellie." He gave the teen a weak smile and nursed the bottle for a second. "But I don't have time for that right now."

"What are we going to do?" Joel asked. There had to be more to this.

"I got the geniuses working on the maps and what they might do with the stuff, but we will just have to beef up security. We need all hands on deck. You up for it?"

"I'll be fine." His shoulder was pretty good and nothing a little pain medication couldn't solve.

"I think this is just a scouting mission. But they will back." He took a drink from his bottle. He looked fucking old in that moment.

"It will be fine. We'll just keep up our defenses."

"Would you be willing to watch the plant? I know you like midnight shift in town-"

"Whatever it takes." Joel shrugged. _This is my home too. _

"I'm going with you." Ellie jumped in."I will still help with farm." She quickly promised. "I just don't want him to be alone." It wasn't like she couldn't handle herself when it came down to it.

Tommy made a face, but gave in "fine." He finished the beer. "We need all the help we can get."

Ellie nodded. "So, they are planning something bigger..."

"Probably. They have been getting more aggressive since last fall and winter was pretty harsh. So, they are desperate."

"Well, we can take 'em." Ellie smiled. "Don't worry. Just go home and sleep. You look like shit."

Tommy smiled. "Thanks."

"I'll watch the fence tonight." Joel sighed. He knew what his brother wanted to hear.

"Well, you did get a good nap in." He gave a cheeky smiled. "The town will have the schedule in the morning. Maria will make it. Speaking of which I better get home. I have such a headache from all this shit."

"Rest easy, little brother."

"Ha. I'll try too." Tommy seen himself out and Joel leaned into Ellie and kissed her cheek. "I better get to work. Night, baby."

She frowned, but accepted it. "Yeah, Tommy seemed really messed up about it all."

"He'll be fine. Now scoot. Go to bed."

"Wait! the shower." He forgot about that...

"Oh no. I know where that will go." He let her go and pulled his shirt from underneath the couch. "Take one, but don't stay up too late. I did move platforms, so I can still see the house."

She pouted. "Fine. You don't have to treat me like a little kid."

"Scoot." It was worth seeing that evil little glare as she went up the stairs.

"Night, Baby. I love you."

"You too." She could be mad at him, but she wouldn't send him away without at least returning the words.

Joel sighed and grabbed his bag and other supplies. It would be a long night, but if Tommy was freaking out he better be a little worried too. The last thing he wanted was to have to find another home for Ellie.

A/N: Hey guys building up some subplots to keep it interesting. I did try my best at a little smut. I just don't like writing it because you guys get a little too close for comfort, but I wanted to make sure you had something. Thanks for over 250!


	26. Lean on Me

Lean on me.

Thanks to unwritten (Have fun!), kirbster676 (lol. Now I will call it couch sessions in my head.), Twinkie Time (Thanks for finding me! I am glad you liked it and that dance would have been awesome. I could it now "Ride the horse..."), Doomsta27, Gwenzilla (I love my pie gag and I did not even think of the tap on the ass thing. OMGLMAO), Thatchickontheinternet (Yeah, I passed on up. We need more water scenes...), Romancedagger (I love that about her too), Kenny9X3 (Really? I guess I am proud of myself... smut breaks are the best.)

-...- (Ellie)

"Open the fucking gate! I got everyone's lunch!" Ellie huffed and puffed at the guard at the gate. He was being a shit today and pretended he didn't know her.

"Password."He must have thought he was the guard in the Wizard of Oz, which was the movie of the week.

"Fuck you."

The man guarding the gate leaned over. "What is it?" he was grinning.

"They had baked chicken! Now move!"

"See, if they have something else. I'm not in the mood for chicken"

"Toby, I swear..." She growled.

"Fine." He pulled the switch so the gate opened. He leaned back "Joel! The delivery girl is here!"

"Shut up. You are getting your food last." Her horse pushed past the metal doors.

It was quite an operation they had going on up here. They had worked on building up the fence line more and securing any weak spots. They had to keep the power going at all costs.

The men stuck guarding the plant all gathered and she passed out their to-go boxes one by one. She saved Joel's at the bottom. He might have got a extra scoop of pudding for dessert and no one needed his treat. "Your Welcome" She teased as the guys grabbed their boxes. They already began to pick through their boxes. Joel stood back smiling at her.

"I brought both of ours." They took their meal to the the scaffolding that led the way to the plant. They ate over the water. It was one hell of a view.

He picked through the chicken. "Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. Nothing too exciting."

"Good." Ellie took a bit out of the bun.

Everyone had been so busy recently with all the guard shifts. Joel had pulled double time and worked the midnight shift in town. Got to eat breakfast with her and took a nap until lunchtime when he served at the plant until dinner and then they got to be together until eleven and he got to start all over again.

Not that he was the only one, Ellie was busy too. Planting was almost done and she found helping in the kitchen had benefits when making the to-go boxes. They would have been just ships in the night if it weren't for meals and her decision to help watch out at the plant. He didn't mind the company.

At least, she didn't have to work about Al. The pie boy helped her in the chicken coop, but they were too busy for lunch. _Thank god. _She able to convince him that they should just be friends.

Joel led her through the main building to the catwalks.

The water rushed underneath their feet. It wasn't so scary down there. At least, it wasn't green and full of algae like in the cities.

"I talked Maria into letting you off midnight shift on Friday on one condition."

"And what would that be?"

"She wants to play cards and drink. Tommy is worrying her. They had been fighting or something. She cracked and told me about it." They took as many shifts as Joel and had completely stressed themselves out playing town leader, but neither were looking too good. They were just so tired and pissed off looking.

" Alright. I would be glad to help out. Besides, I would love to be able to sleep at night."

"You probably won't be sleeping." She nudged him.

"Oh?"

"Yep. I think I deserve another dancing lesson." She nodded.

He smiled a little bit before taking a bite out of the bun. He chewed and looked like he was considering it. He swallowed. "Sound's good."

'It's a date." She began to work on the pudding. Yep. It was a good idea to get a little bit more of that.

"It has been hot." He closed the box on set it aside.

"I know! Summer must be around the corner." They had the temperature break the last year's highs.

"Yep. A whole year."

"Yeah." So much happened and she almost couldn't believe it had been a year...

"Well, since the weather is warming up we could go swimming. Then you wouldn't need the palette ever again."

"I hated the fucking palette." They were so unstable. She always ended up face planting the water while she clung and it sucked waiting for him to find one. The whole deal sucked ass.

"I wouldn't have let you slip off."

"I know, but I just didn't like it. You will teach me?"

"Oh course. It really wouldn't hurt you too know." He pat her back. "Besides, if it gets any hotter that water will be the only place nice." Only some of the houses had central air. All had heaters, but only some people didn't want to tough out the summers. Unfortunately, their house was one that didn't plan ahead.

Ellie couldn't help, but smile. She still loved when he planned ahead. The future together was good. She finished her meal and stretched.

He got up and left in a trash can and led her to the plant. They were going to his post.

"How is Buckley?"

"Retired with honors. He guards Tommy's house now and is healing up nice."

"We got another dog up here."

They were greeted by a boxer. "Her name is Shana. She is a pretty good guard dog."

"Oh hi doggie." Ellie sang and held out her hand. The dog sniffed her and then wagged her nub of a tail. "Good doggie." She pet the dog until Shana jumped away chasing a shadow of a bird.

"Did you own a dog?"

"When I was a kid. I was too busy with work and Sarah to get another one." He led her to his post on the far side of the building. It was just to two of them overlooking the valley.

"She didn't want one?"

"Not really. She had some guinea pigs and that was a complete fiasco. So, dogs weren't in the picture." It was nice hearing Joel talk about Sarah without sounding so pissed. He could finally look at the good moments in his past and enjoy them without hating himself.

"Oh." She said.

"You seem to like them. Ever try to keep one in the zone?"

"No. Mom wouldn't have cared, but then she died and Marlene didn't want to deal with it." Marlene was way too busy. She loved Ellie like a daughter, but she was a working mom compared to her mom.

"Ah."

"But Winston had a dog."

"This guy had a lot of pets." Joel scowled a little at the name. She wanted to remind him the Winston was just a friend.

"His was a German Shepherd and a great police dog. He was very sweet when not wearing his little vest." That dog was really cute and so soft and fluffy. Winston loved that dog.

"That's a working dog for ya." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her back to his chest. His arms looped around her waist holding her. They were comfortable quiet for a moment.

-..- (Joel)

"So what did Tommy find out? Did he figure out what they stole?" Ellie who was comfortably leaning on him asked. They had only had a little time left on shift and he couldn't wait to go home. All of this watching and waiting was wearing him out.

"As for the stuff in the plant. It was a map of the plant that included the electrically panels and it had a drawing of how the turbines worked. That wasn't too bad. But they also stole some manuals and gear for dealing with the dam like the thick rubber gloves. Tommy thinks they want to take the control of the plant and force the town to give in." It had taken him the last few weeks to put the story together from Tommy and the other guys on the crew.

"How about the stuff in the supply closet."

"They managed to grab some flashlights and ammo. Nothing else that anyone missed."

"Why that crap?" he nose wrinkled as she said it "How the Hell, how did they manage to slip past everyone?"

"There are always blind spots, honey." He nuzzled into her hair. "That supply closet was closer to the edge than most. They probably sent a few guys to distract the guards and send a guy in." _That's what I would have done. "_Just to scare the town._"_ They obviously weren't ready to lead a full scale attack they probably wanted to at least scare the town. A little terror because when people panicked they made dumb mistakes.

"Do you think they are going to come back?" Her voice was soft.

"Yeah. If isn't this group, it will be another. You know how the world is out there." He hated to tell her the answer. He wanted to promise her that they would be safe behind the fence, but the people in Jackson were in some dream if they thought no one else would want to crash the party.

"Yeah." She echoed and sighed. She knew all too well. "I'm surprised the military hasn't tried to come out here yet."

"They have enough trouble managing QZs. But there is no point in worrying about it. You just have to keep moving and defending what you got." He gave her squeeze.

"What time is it?"

He looked at the sun dipping in the sky "Almost dinner time. We should head back before it gets too dark." Neither of them moved for a second. He gave her a squeeze and then finally they began to walk back to the main building.

As the walked Ellie bumped his shoulder. "Since it has been almost a year isn't your birthday coming up?"

"Yeah.." He didn't like to think of his birthday.

"Would you be mad if I got you a watch for your birthday?" She asked bluntly.

"I'm fine with what I got."

She pouted and he tried to smooth it over. He leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Backrubs still make the best gifts." She elbowed him back, but that smile said he had at least had that coming his way.

"I'll think about it."

"Yours is coming up too." Her birthday was in a few weeks. "What do you want?"

"A backrub." She teased "Some books, music. Anything."

He nodded. He might have to make a scavenger trip.

-...- (Ellie)

Ellie frowned as the door shut. He went on to his post and she was left to distract herself for a while.

She slammed the washing machine door closed. Learning how to do laundry was a new skill Joel taught her. In the QZ you wore what you had until it fell apart or smelled like a sewer and then you just got new clothes. You never had to wash them. Though, Ellie had to admit the soup smelled nice.

After finishing the last of her chores, she climbed up the stairs. After getting comfortable in her pajamas she grabbed his guitar. Joel had been giving her lessons, but so far she could play twinkle twinkle little star, which was not badass. _A, B, C, C sharp, D, E and F and back down the scale... _She practiced her chords until her fingertips hurt from pressing the metal string down.

She gave the song another chance. If she played it slow she hit the notes...

She sat the guitar down before her fingertips began to bleed.

_Time to get in her reading for today._ She made herself comfortable in the bed she grabbed her book.

She thumbed through her current one _Cowboy with a Cause_. It was a book her mom would have loved (all that romance) and Ellie had to admit the book made her smile. Something about southern man solving a mystery and getting laid in the process.

She made her pillow Joel to curl into while she read. She sighed and picked up on her page. But she kept losing her place. _He can't have midnight shift forever..._

Living here was like living in the QZ just they kept you busy. In Boston, no one noticed if you slept the day away. Here is was always something to be done and she kinda missed when it was just the two of them. Her mind wandered off to the cabin. _What would we have done if we didn't have Tommy's place? _

She refocused on the line she read twice already.

_He knew all about raging against the unfairness of life; he understood what cancer that caused_.* She drifted off the page again. She missed him a little more. Sure, the guy in the book was trying to find the guy that threw a grenade and put his girl in a wheelchair, but... that was like...well not really, but life sucked.

Ellie sighed and rolled over to hug pillow-Joel. She liked it here. The people were nice enough and it was great having regular food and projects. Hell, a lot of people would kill to be in a bed with clean pajamas. She just wanted Joel here. She wasn't even sure what she would do when he wasn't there. That thought made her heart stop and her mind hit the rewind button. She didn't want to think about that.

**TAP. **'What the fuck..." Something just hit her window or maybe it was her imagination. Another second went by with her holding her breath. **Tap.**

She climbed off the bed and went to the window. She opened it. _If it was Al... _She hoped it wasn't that boy. She could see him now with a guitar singing a love song, but she didn't want that. He was nice as a friend and that was it. If he was down there she was going to have to burst his bubble.

But there was no one on the ground she looked around and then at the fence line. Joel waved.

She waved back. The radio crackled. "Ellie, go to bed." They got radios, but you didn't want to use it too much for personal business because anyone on the frequency could listen.

"Damn it, Joel." She gave him a look even though he probably couldn't make it out in the darkness.

"Lights out, baby-girl."

"Fine." She huffed and turned off the light and went back to hugging the pillow. Life fucking sucked sometimes.

A/N: Yeah a bit of a breather chapter. I have been meaning to get in the swimming but the season or place was never right...

* Oh, that is a real book...


	27. Going Under

Going Under

Thanks I am glad you guys liked the breather. Thank JadziaCee and Talath Rana.

Swimming was a request and suggestion and I totally used it

Thanks to Gwenzilla (Oh course it is refrence ^^ and I do need him to serenade her), razisgosu, Talath Rana (Cowboy with a Cause), Guest, mckoy12345678910 (Walkthroughs aren't bad I play with a guide book because I must collect all of the things), doomsta27 (Me neither), ThatChickontheInternet (lol)

-...- (Joel)

He had a free afternoon to teach her. Sure, Joel had to trade John for for a 12 hour shift next week, but it was worth it. The heat had picked up and it was a sunny, hot day and it was perfect weather to swim. And he found a reservoir of water that was shallow enough; so, she wasn't jumping in the deep end. It was perfect.

"Come on in. The water is fine." He back stroked in small circles. He watched the girl on the shore. It was a beautiful day and she was a beautiful girl.

Ellie started to dance and take one step forward and one step back. She still had on her clothes. But he didn't even bother stripping. He never did anymore. He made another lap.

She dipped in and and to her knees. "It's fucking COLD!"

"Don't be a baby. Get in." He splashed a little water her way.

She frowned and Ellie waded in deeper stopping at her waist. She wasn't going to be weak. "Ugh...It went through my jeans..."

"Keep walking towards me."

She stopped as it reached her breast. "I think this is a bad idea. I'm fine with the palette."

He gave her a look and moved closer. "Swimming is all about kicking and moving. Just don't stop and you will be fine." He motioned "Here. Just paddle like a dog." He showed her how to do the circles. "Focus on that and just kick and you are swimming."

"Um...?" She did the motion giving him the look that said you-are-crazy.

"Take a deep breath and just go."

She took a breath and dipped lower, so she wasn't standing. She gave it a try swimming in the shallow end where she could quickly drop her feet to the ground, if she felt like she was drowning. But she kept sinking. He came closer and guided her by hovered his hand and giving her a lift. He left his hand underneath her incase she sank to much. He helped her bob around in the circle. She was doing it.

"I think you got it, baby. Just keep going." He was smiling. As long as she wasn't alone, she seemed okay. He lowered his hand letting her do it on her own. She felt swimming just fine.

"Want to try floating?" He offered.

"I don't think I can..." She skipped a beat. She dropped down so her feet hit the sand under the water.

Now this wouldn't do. "Belly up! It is easy that way. Just take a deep breath and hold it." She wrinkled her forehead and lifted up and gave it a try. At least Ellie trusted him. She sank down and Joel lifted her up with his hand. "Just breath."

After a second, he could move his hand from her back and let her try it on her own. "I had to teach Nicole and Sarah to swim." She floated in the water.

"Nicole, the ex-wife?" She was swinging her arms stabilizing herself. _The backstroke is next. _A few more lessons and she would be decent.

"Yep." He backed up so she knew he wasn't there. She dropped down. "You still need more practice." He moved to the deeper end where he could touch, but she wouldn't.

"Try swimming this way. It's not deep."

"Umm... Okay..." She returned to her stomach and quickly paddled. She had the dog paddle down. She reached him and caught his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. She panted. "Swimming is a lot of work."

He walked her back toward the shallow end. "It is." His arms wound around her.

She kissed his neck. "Want to wade around a bit more?"

Ellie nodded against him. When they were in the safe zone, he dropped her down and stepped away. She practiced by just swimming to him and he rewarded her with a kiss.

Each time she go a little braver, and they got a lot more into kissing. He was becoming drunk from her love and loved their little game.

"Want to try something fun?" He kissed again.

"Hm?" She kissed. "What kind of fun?" She purred against him her hip already moving.

He got his hands on her ribs and threw her back about ten feet and she splashed and popped right up. She laughed and quickly swam back to him. "Again!" They locked lips for a second. "Again!"

She gasped when he caught her ribs again. "Ready?" She nodded. He threw her back and she raced back to kiss again. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kept the kiss going. He groaned and held on tighter to her. _Now we can try that something else that is fun. _He missed swimming suits and how much less clothes they could were.

"Joel." Tommy deadpanned. "We need to talk as a family."

_Fuck. _Joel pulled back, but still held her on his hip. _Dinner wasn't going to be fun. _"This is none of your business."

"This is... You have no idea. Jesus Christ put her down for one Goddamn second!"

Ellie slid down into the water and moved away. Joel climbed out of the water with Ellie followed behind. He reached behind and took her hand. "Come on, Ellie." He looked back at his brother. "I'm not going to fight you. We will see you tonight." _That is all I have to say on the matter._

Tommy reached out and caught his brother's shoulder.

"Touch me again." He pulled his shoulder away.

"Goddamn it."

"I'm sure Maria will have enough to say. See you later." He pulled Ellie along behind him toward their horse. Their shoes squished and slapped the ground. At this point, he just wanted to change his clothes. They left Tommy standing by the pond.

"Shit." Ellie cussed under her breath as she climbed on first. "Swimming is fun until you're sitting in wet underwear."

Joel smiled and climbed on behind her. "You can say that again." He gave the horse a nudge with his heel and they rode down the slope to Jackson.

-...- (Ellie)

Joel took deep breath beside her and just stared at window like it was the most interesting thing in the world. It was so much better than dealing with the problem at hand.

Maria paced back and forth in front of the couch. Tommy stood by the doorframe to the dining room. His arms were crossed and he could not even speak. His jaw was slammed shut like he was afraid of what he would say.

This was not going to be a good night at all. "Do you know what the neighbors will think of you!?" Maria yelled. _The neighbors would know soon enough._

Ellie curled into herself bringing her leg up to her chest so she could hug it.

"I knew something was wrong! I mean she acted so weird around you! But just what the fuck were you thinking! I mean you probably weren't." Maria waved it off before returning to pointing at Joel "She is a just a girl! You You!" She looked at Tommy and stopped for a second.

"He didn't force it on me... I love him."

"You don't even know what that even means." Maria made a face.

"AH!" Ellie gasped and dropped her leg down slamming it on the wood floor. "What the fuck do you mean?!" Joel touched her leg. She knew what he wanted, but she wasn't going to take this shit.

""It is just stock.." She waved her hand thinking of the word "Stockholm syndrome. You are little his little prisoner on your cross country trip. He tricked you and you are dependant on him. You didn't even think of it, you don't know better."

"I AM NOT!" Ellie yelled back. Her mind raced. Maria was so wrong. "I started it! And don't you trust Tommy and want to stay with him?" Ellie turned back to Joel. "Why aren't you saying anything?!"

He shifted on the couch. "You got this." He just let the insults wash over him. He would not stand for someone talking to her like that. She was going to defend him. Why didn't he try to defend himself?

Maria continued to stalk around the house like enraged clicker. "She does not "got it" You!" She looked at Tommy and then at Joel. "Pervert." She was trying to save her husband from this fight, but he wasn't leaving.

"HE IS NOT!" Ellie had one volume when she was fighting against someone so... stubborn.

"He is sleeping with fourteen year old girl what do you think that makes him, Ellie!" Maria sneered. She began to yell back.

"Well, this fourteen year old girl likes it! And she loves him! So Shut! Your fucking MOUTH!" Joel pulled her back down on the couch against his side. He held her so she couldn't jump back up and start swinging.

"Don't say things you might regret, honey. This is like Bill, just roll your eyes." He soothed. His grip didn't loosen.

Maria reeled and went to Tommy. "Your brother is a..." She took a breath a still still held something back for Tommy's sake. "We can't leave him in town where there other kids. He could...I wonder how far back this goes. I know the infected have made the world a hell hole, but he fell too easy into this. Even in the fall, he was too happy to touch her and share the bed."

The room got cold. _Oh Hell No. _Maria did not just go there. "Maria." Tommy touched her arm. "Get a hold of yourself." Joel set his jaw and his grip was tighter than ever.

She broke. "If I don't say it, others will still be thinking it."

"Maybe Ellie and I will just pack up and find a new home." Joel started to get up. His grip was still like iron holding her back and holding himself back.

"Sounds good to me. A QZ is better than this." _No one would care what they did there._

"No." Tommy immediately said. "Just stay here. Maria."

"We don't want you to leave. Just not..." Maria bowed her head.

"Then we will be going." Ellie cut in

"Darling." Maria broke down her voice a lot softer. She held on to Tommy. "I'm just worried. You are too young and I know the world is a ugly place, but I couldn't stand by and let a girl your age be forced into anything. I couldn't imagine at your age..." She took a breath. "This just needs to stop. Could you imagine what would happen if she would get pregnant!"

"I would be saving the world. My immunity would spread without a vaccine." Ellie cut in. She had thought about it that far. "Besides, it is none of their business. I wasn't forced into anything"

Maria rolled her eyes. "What will people say."

"It doesn't interest me." Joel said.

Tommy looked. "Maria don't be so harsh." He looked back at his brother. "I don't approve of what you two are doing either. But he is my brother." He kissed her on the forehead. He had been sticking up for Joel for a while.

"Sweetheart..." She turned to look at the teen "Are you really okay with this?"

Ellie smiled "Trust me. There are a lot of guys a million times worse than Joel out there. We are fine. We have protected each other for a year." She tried to make Maria see. "We love each other."

"I know I love her. She is my world." Joel added and her heart melted a little. He still hadn't let her go, as the two pairs stood together.

"The world is a very different place than it used to be. It can work." Ellie shrugged. She read some of the stuff that happened in the past. At least, she chose him. A lot of women in romance novels got forced into that shit.

"Until he dies."

"Everyone dies one day." Ellie shrugged. She knew it was very true. "You just have to enjoy the time you got."

"Ellie," Maria looked so sad and touched her cheek. "Darling. I just... it's fine." She pet Ellie "I just want you to know what you are getting into it."

"We will be fine. We always have, always will." Ellie smiled. She didn't hate Maria. The woman has a good heart, but she stuck her nose in their business.

Maria hugged her. "I'm sorry Joel. But. I mean."

"I would be worried too if I seen something similar but." Joel confessed.

Tommy pat his back. "Just don't kiss her in front of us. It is awkward."

"I can't make promises." Ellie teased. She was going to kiss him when she wanted to and the whole town could go fuck themselves.

The small family hugged it out.

"I think we better head home."

"Please stay. I think we all need a drink."

"Amen to that." Ellie held up her hand waiting for a high five.

The adults looked at her. "None for you." Joel said. "You aren't old enough for as much as we would need to drink."

Ellie pouted letting her hand fall. "You guys suck." She was pulled into the hug.

A/N: Okay, I am wrapping up the story to end at the chapter 30 or so to make it just in time for school to start and I get the joy of my students writing essays. I just wanted to make sure all ends are tied up. At least the family knows and the town will just have to deal with it.

Anyway I used some of the arguments of the people against the pairing. With those two I don't give a crap, they deserve the person that makes them happy in this case.


	28. No Rest for the Wicked

No Rest for the Wicked

Thanks to Talath Rana (Yeah the fight was nasty because it is very close to real life. I wanted to use another word that starts with 'P' for messing with children but like Maria that would be the point of no return. She couldn't do that to Tommy because once that label is there you are societies pariah). mckoy12345678910 (I will make sure to include that), Gwenzilla (Please write more and add to the pairing. I am touched that my story sticks out ^^ As for pregency I have no idea what would happen) doomsta27 (Me too. Though I plan on at least giving it some sort of epilogue after 30), master hollow (Thats I couldn't let Ellie let it stay awkward. She would have pulled out that pun book in a second), The gunslinger28 (sadly), Thatchickontheinternet (Yeah, I rewrote it twice to get the right amount of venom). JadziaCee, kirbster676, blddmn (Thanks, I think. I could not write a lemon this long.), Kenny9x3 (that would be sweet)

Yeah I am sorry that I am wrapping things up. I just know what happens will school will start. The story will go down in quality or my work will and I can't let that happen. But it will be done and if I got time I might start another. Sorry for the late update, I had a family thing.

Another song title that is badass as Joel.

-...- Joel

Joel finished loading up his horse to start the the trip. The community aimed to be self-sufficient, but sometimes it was nice to bring in stuff and what could he say once a transporter, always a transporter. Besides he wanted to get something special for Ellie. Summer was just starting and her birthday was coming up.

"Ready?" Ellie was on her horse already grinning at him. He didn't even try to fight her on this. It wasn't like she could get infected and the girl really took care of herself. She hadn't let him down yet.

"Good luck you too." Tommy pet Ellie's horse's side.

"Aren't you coming?"

"Naw. Not this time. I have some stuff to handle and we still need everyone we can. You got my list?" He shot a look at his brother.

"I got it."

"What does he want?" Ellie sat up a little higher.

"I will tell you later."

Tommy coughed a little. Yeah, it wasn't right to bring up his brother's business like that. "Good luck." Tommy managed to smile.

Things were better than ever with the family. Sure, they had to tell Maria's dad and he took a little better than Maria, not much better. But things in the family had been much better now that things were out in the open. They weren't official with the city of Jackson, but they didn't need to be. All that really mattered was family. It was nice to be able to sit around the table and eat and play games and go to the weekly movie without watching each other. The only bad thing was there was no rest for the wicked.

"Come on, Ellie." Joel mounted and they had headed to the gate. "We will be back tomorrow." He called back.

"Be safe."

"Adios, little brother." The rode past the metal gate armed to the teeth with a map of the area. This wasn't just a trip to go get random supplies. Joel wished it was. But their was a reason to be leaving, but he had so many guns and a machete. He was doing a little scouting too for the town.

The bandits that attacked had been laying low, but it didn't sit right with the brothers. They were waiting for something. This was just a way to get the angle on them. Though, they weren't going to engage the enemy at all. He was not going to put Ellie into that position. They just better update the map. You wanted to know your neighbors in world like this.

The forest was thick and green with the warmth of the season. It was finally officially summer. The light shined through the trees in a way that made you glad to be out in the woods. That heat wave gave and it going to come back soon, he could feel it. But they hadn't had a swimming lesson since they were caught. At least, she was getting better at the guitar. In the few hours before night shift they would practice and it was nice.

They followed the path toward the larger lake that fed the powerplant.

"This brings back memories." Ellie said ten minutes into the trip.

"If you are going to ask me if 'are we there yet' you can go back home." He deadpanned.

"No. I wasn't."

"Right." He was just shitting the girl, but it was funny.

"Don't make me throw something at you."

"Now I thought I taught you better than that." Before she could make a rebuttal. "It would just be wasteful to throw good supplies."

"JOEL!"

He smiled. "Kidding, Baby. I have a bit of deja vu from this." Going on a trip and riding away from Jackson. At least, they didn't have to go anywhere near Colorado... That was one city he didn't want to go near again and he doubted Ellie wanted to see it either. _Hell, I never want to see Pittsburgh, Salt Lake or any part near the university._

"And my ass hurts already from this dumb saddle." She shifted in it.

"You could ride something else."

"EWWWW! Joel!" She trotted up closer to pop him on the arm and he caught her hand and kissed her cheek. "I'm messing with you. But you could have rode with me"

She smiled. "I am too." She kissed him on the mouth. "I like Marigold." She pet the mare's mane.

Joel smiled and they rode on side by side for a while.

They were a couple miles away from towmn when they came accross abandoned shack with a couple of lean-tos attached on the side. _Someone shacked up here for a while._Joel stopped his horse and Ellie followed suit. He listened.

Nothing.

He slipped off the saddle and went to check out the house. Ellie began to slide off.

"Stay with the horses."

She rolled her eyes. "I can help."

"I know, but this won't take long. I just want to look" He slide in. Someone had been staying here, but they weren't home. He looked over the table. None of their shit... He found a log. He glanced over it. Just notes between the guys tracking another group of guys. He pocketed that and helped himself to any leftover supplies. Old habits died hard.

He returned to his companion. "Nothing too interesting." He took out the map and made a note and then they rode on further into the valley.

Ellie sped up so they could ride side by side. "Joel, I have been thinking."

"Should I be worried."

-...- (Ellie)

The ride was different and she was glad to get out the town. It felt like the zone the wall kept you safe, but you could never leave. She wasn't sure how many more times she could go out anyways.

She shifted on her horse. The bandits somehow became more scary than the infected. At least, the infected couldn't plan (Well, stalkers tried...) the bandits tried to scare people and it worked. A group of well-entrenched people hell bent on surviving...

She gave him a look. "Why do certain groups..." She stopped to finish. "Why do some groups... Why isn't Tommy's group like David's.."

Joel had to stop. "Well, everyone has the potential for that if forced in a corner and they are determined to survive by any means necessary."

"Have you?

"No. I was always to keep moving, but if you are tied to a territory and refuse to move you might end up in that sort of position." He scratched at his beard. "Trust me. That is the lowest of low. But if you had someone, I guess you would do anything." He looked ahead down the path thinking it through.

"Do you think Jackson would start that?"

"I don't know. I mean as long as I am there I wouldn't support it or stomach it. Besides, they like to grow their crops and animals, they should be fine."

"But shit could happen?"

"But shit could happen."

"I think we would leave..." She nodded. They could find another home even if they had to fake their way into a zone.

"Yeah. We would, but the people that have always lived there... Who's to say." He glanced back. "Where is all this coming from?"

"Just thinking. The last time we left here we ended up near David's." If these guys wandered, could they somehow know that group? Her blood ran cold. _I'm just paranoid. _She nudged the horse up closer to Joel's. She didn't want to be alone.

"Don't think like that. Come on, I think I see that town." He consulted the map.

"Are people there?"

"Maybe. We will have to find out."

The rode to the abandoned town. It was just a one stoplight kind of town with a cluster of buildings. A old gas station and some shops. Joel led them around the back. They tied up the horses far enough in the woods that no one would hear them.

She held her gun as the crawled to the town. Joel listening. he kept motioning for them to keep going. They climbed into a store with busted window. Shelves were knocked over, but Joel searched through a tipped over shelf for something. "What do we need?"

He offered the list he had crumpled in his hand. _Tommy's list_. _Salt, Cloth, Pain meds, Pregnancy test, Wound treatments. _Her eyes backed up one.

"Joel! Is Maria?" Ellie wanted to jump and hug someone. Those two had been trying for over year. That might explain some things in her behavior. But this was great news.

"Might be." Joel didn't sound nearly excited.

"That's great! They have-"

"Shh. I know. But, Babe, we don't have long, we can talk about it in the woods."

"Are you sure the test would work?" She dropped back down to the ground and whispered.

"Better than nothing." He moved on to another shelf.

"True. Why would they have one?"

"Its a pharmacy. I'm sure most people cleaned it out, but I doubt that many bandits really need to know if they are pregnant."

Ellie smiled.

"Here." He consulted the pink boxes like he had a bomb in his hand. He was trying to pick.

"Lets just take all of them."

He huffed. "We got room for it." She went to the counter and found some plastic bags. This would feel like a shopping trip. They packed that and Joel went through the rest looking for something useful.

They heard a crack and the pair froze. Both listened and Joel pointed to the doorway. They backed up and went behind the counter to the backroom. He grabbed more stuff and unlocked the door so they could slip out.

He finished putting everything away and then motioned. "Put it on the horse. I'm going to check things out some more."

"No. I'm coming along."

He gave her a hard look. "Fine. But I'm not staying by the horse, so you better wait for me."

She trudged through the bushes and tied it to the saddle and quickly returned to Joel who did wait. She climbed underneath his arm and listened too.

They guy had a friend.

"This will work." They were consulting over something.

"Yeah." Joel moved along the wall and kept listening hoping to figure out who they were.

"I think it will take down a deer."

"A piece of glass. Would work."

Just some hunters. She relaxed and followed Joel. "Are we going to take them out?" She whispered.

He wrinkled up his forehead debating what they should do. He looked down at her. "Let's find out if they stay here or if they are passing through."

The moved so they could watch the pair. They had some pretty hefty packs. They were passing through too. They returned to the horse and went on to the next point on the map to be marked. They had a little left on the list to get.

-...-

They settled down into the little cabin in the woods. _Man, this brings back memories. _Joel made sure no one would be coming home tonight and barricaded the place in case they had any infected guests. Granted, the area was pretty clean. To many live ones shooting them down that they didn't wander around in the woods too left the horses in the lean to-shelter on the side.

She collapsed on the couch and Joel unpacked their dinner that the women packed for this little trip. They shared a few buns and cheese. _Ugh. _Ellie already missed the hot food they had at home. Sandwiches didn't do much for her.

"So three places cleared out." He left the map out on the table looking it over. "I expected to see a bigger camp by now." He took a bite.

"Me too." She ate the cheese on its own.

"Oh well, it will be okay." He shifted into the dusty couch cushions. "I just wish we knew what we faced." Ellie nodded. All day they had rode through the valley and found just a few patches of people.

"So, Maria is pregnant?" They never got to discuss the news. The excitement returned. She couldn't help, but smile. She would be "Aunt Ellie."

"Might be. She skipped or whatever and they don't want to get their hopes up." Joel finished up his sandwich.

"They would smother that kid."

"They would." Joel smiled. "But I hope she is. Tommy would make a great dad." He looked proud of his brother.

"Yeah, and Jackson is a good place to bring a kid into the world." She said and then she stopped for a second. Talking about kids was a little strange.

"Just don't ask for one of the tests." Joel leaned back into the couch. "We are not ready for that." He was right about that. She couldn't imagine being 'mom' to anyone.

Ellie blushed. "We better figure something to make sure it stays that way."

"We will, but you can't get the pill and condoms are pretty much ruined too." He stretched back ready for a nap. He held out his arm out and pulled her into his chest. "We'll figure something out."

Ellie wanted to laugh. If he said 'pull out' that wasn't happening. "I'll ask Maria what the other women do not to get pregnant."

"That's a plan. Well head back tomorrow night."

He leaned and kissed her neck. "We better get some sleep we are getting up early."

She settled into him. It felt weird wearing so much clothes to sleep in and she wasn't Joel. He could sleep while sitting on a rock. She pretended to sleep until she heard him snore. Once she was good she pulled the comic she found out of her bag. Just one story before bed.

A/N: Thanks please R&R! We might as well discuss Ellie having kids. I'm not sure if the ceps would let her. Her body might reject it. Or she might be able to have kids and they would get the immunity passed down (And she gets to save the world the natural way!). also cord blood could offer a new way to heal it. What do you guys think?


	29. I'm a saint, I'm a lover

I'm a saint, I'm a lover

Thanks again for your support:Talath Rana (X-MEN! Ellie is the mother of it all. Lol. I wanted Maria to get pregnant for Tommy and it explains her reactions), shadow12 (it was the only way to save the world that doesn't kill Ellie like that), Sirei (Oh yeah, no one could know because they would hunt that poor kid down), doomsta27 (I don't think Ellie could stay in the walls forever. they need adventures.) MasterHollow (Kick ass, lol.), Gwenzilla (I wanted to evoke the game feel. That was my favorite line),ThatChickontheInternet (I will see what I can do.) Kenny9x3 (Yeah, I hate the tropes too.) mckoy12345678910 (It was 1 in the morning when I posted. I had to drive home. Awwww snoring dog! Read the chapter.)

A/N: I have a theory that all the people not initially infected (Like Joel and Tess) that didn't get the illness had some immunity to begin with. As compared to the people who got sick when it was just an airborne illness like Joel's neighbor. It wasn't perfect in the case of bites but they seemed okay breathing in small amounts because it has to be everywhere. It is like the people who don't catch the flu or the black plague.

Also, All the medicine and cans of food are at least 20 years old. I wouldn't want to eat those peaches or supplements, so I think a pregnancy test would be as good as any of the other supplies

-...- (Joel)

Joel woke with a start. It took a second to get his bearings and realize there were in a cabin. He looked over Ellie who was still asleep with her comic resting on her chest. He took a breath and let his mind catch up.

"Ellie." He rasped.

"I know get me some fucking water." She snuggled deeper into his side not moving too fast.

"No, honey." He snorted a little at her assumption. "We only have a few more places on the map to check. So, rise and shine." He gave her a nudge again.

"You really aren't going to let me sleep in?"

"Nope."

"Fuck. Fine, I am up." She opened her eyes and stretched.

They got off the couch and worked on breakfast and went outside to the horses to load their goods.. He carefully hid her gifts in another bag and attached it to the saddle. He had found her some stuff to read and a camera. It might work (they had batteries) and if it did she would get kick out of it. Sure, she couldn't upload it to the facebook like they did twenty years ago, but he doubted she ever really had one to play with.

He was just going to make sure it worked before he gave it to her (and delete whatever survived. Nobody wanted to see those pictures). He finished tying his last bag before checking on Ellie. She hadn't even started...

"Joel." She had the one of the pregnancy test boxes in hand. "How do they work?" Ellie kept turning the damn box in her hands. She was curious as a cat. Great, this was like the hydroelectric dam questions.

"I don't know. Women pee on them and it changes colors or something. I know what it is and what is supposed to do, but not how it does it..."

"Oh."**Rippppp** She started opening the box.

_Oh no no no. _He knew where this was going. "Leave the test alone and finish packing." He couldn't look at the girl without feeling hot. Jesus, it was getting warm.

"We should make sure it works..." She held the instructions out reading.

"For heaven's sake." He didn't want to think of her doing that. The horse was bobbing its head in agreement with him. _This is a bad idea. _"We will let them figure it out." This was something his brother and sister-in-law could deal with. The test had gone bad along with everything else in this whole world.

"Whatever, I have to go pee anyways." _There really was no turning the Titanic around. _She was going to do it.

"Ellie." He groaned. "Just don't do it near me." He turned back to the horse.

"I'll make it quick. Only says five minutes on the box."

"Great. Only five minutes." Five minutes that they were wasting. They could be back at home five minutes sooner.

The bushes rustled and he tried not to listen in on this. He pet the horse and sighed. He went to Ellie's horse and began to pack up for her. If she was going to waste the time and a test, he was going to be productive.

He tied off the last bag. _How long does it take you to piss on a stick? _"Ellie. You can wait here."

She came out of the woods. "Ho_w _long has it been?"

"You don't have a watch." He sighed. "Mine doesn't work. I'd give a minute more and we will just call it good." She shot him a look. Joel shrugged at the teen. She made a circle quietly counting to sixty. One-One thousand, two-one second.

"Hey it's done! Two lines meant what again?" She looked at the box "HOLY SHIT!"

His heart stopped and the world became a narrow tunnel of light. He was pretty sure he had a heart attack. But he couldn't leave her just yet. "WHAT?!" He flew to her side. "Let me read the box you probably read it wrong!" His eyes scanned the box. _Blah blah blah five minutes. Why were they so confusing? Easy to read my ass. Shit this isn't goo-_

Ellie laughed. "I'm kidding." She took the box from him. "We are good. It is just the two of us." She danced out of touch.

"Come here." He ordered

"Hm?" She looked like a deer in a field. Just surprised.

"Come here. Don't make me repeat myself."

She came to him looking a little confused and came to him with her head ducked. "Sorry for shitting you, Joel." She came into arms length and he pulled her into a hug. She settled into it. She thought he would forgive her that easy. His heart was still racing.

"Don't you EVER do that again." He clapped his hand on her on the ass. It was sound more than force; but he never wanted to go through that again.

"HEY!" She wiggled against him.

He didn't regret that. "If you are going to act like a kid you will get treated like one." He hugged her good and let her go. "I think I had a heart attack from your prank."

She danced away a safe distance to rub her ass. "Jeez." She turned back to him. "I didn't know you had a kink for that shit. I have this one book..." She winked at him and he took a step towards the girl. "WHOA There. Look sorry. It was a joke. I'm sorry."

"Better be. Now get on your horse."

"Ugh. It is not going to be fun riding today." She climbed up onto Marigold. Joel mounted on his horse and led.

"So you were one of those parents who spank their kids."

"Rarely. Sarah was a good kid."

"Are you saying I'm bad?!"

"I didn't; you did."

"Joel!" Her voice was thin. "Come on! I said I was sorry."

He shook his head. What if she wasn't playing around with that test; _What would I do? _This was way more serious than he thought...

She caught up to him and touched his arm. "I am." He leaned down and kissed her temple. He couldn't be angry with her too long.

"I'm sorry, too.-" Before he could ask if it hurt she said, "I'm fine." She kissed his cheek.

"Let's get this done so we can go home."

"And make up?" She suggested as she gave him a not so innocent smile.

"Yeah. We will just have to do it so we won't get a positive next time to feel the need to take that stupid test."

"Sounds good."

The rode on to the next point on the map in silence. He wasn't mad, he just had to think. He could remember the last time he had to deal with those tests led to Sarah. _I am too old for more kids..._ He couldn't stand that he would leave Ellie early and now her and kids. His heart hurt. But he didn't want her to be alone, if she did (in several years) want kids.

He sighed lost in thought. Sarah was one of the best things that happened to him. He didn't regret having her even when he did. Since he first held her he knew where he belonged. Somehow, he knew he would feel the same way if he got to hold another.

But he couldn't imagine Ellie with a baby. She was just a baby herself.

-...- (Ellie)

She was a little shocked by his reaction to the prank. He got a lot madder than she thought. _Joel spanked me! _That just didn't add up and it wasn't that it hurt because it didn't hurt her butt. It hurt her pride. But she guessed she hurt him too. She did feel bad about scaring him so much. She didn't mean for him to take it too seriously...

_But what if it would have been positive... _Ellie resisted the urge to turn around and find the disgraced test and reread the instructions. She might have read it wrong! She tried to make the fear subside. She read the thing five times in the woods. She took it right, but she really would have to talk to Maria about this and find some way to prevent pregnancy.

The went through another abandoned shack and then they rode on. Two more check marks and then they could go home. She couldn't help, but look forward to being home and "making up." She didn't doubt he knew some way to do without using his um...

Ellie had to shake the thought from her head and refocus on their job.

They crept onto another town that was a looked like it was lived in. Several maintained houses lining a street that didn't have too much grass growing in it. It was definately lived in. They left the horses and snuck in where the guys couldn't see them. They went through picking along looking for clues. _These could be the guys..._

Joel stayed a few feet ahead of her listening and scouting.

They entered a office. "Hey! On the wall!" She told Joel. There plant map with more scribbles on it. Joel snatched that off. Yep, these were the guys they had been running through the valley for. "We should head back and tell Tommy." She picked the desk clean of stuff.

He did a once over. "The map will work." he climbed to the window. "Get down. We got trouble.

-...- (Joel)

"I thought we weren't supposed to you know engage in fighting!" She loaded her gun mimicking him.

"I didn't plan on them coming to me." He loaded up and crawled to better spot to grab the guy as he came in. Ellie hide behind the table ready to jump in case things went south. He checked the stairs. Yep, one the guys was coming up.

"I think I left my drink up there..." The armored man told someone beyond the front door.

"Just hurry up." His companion called from the stairs.

_Just a few more steps..._ Joel shifted his weight from side to side ready for this. When the guy entered the room Joel grabbed him and dragged him to the floor in a choke hold. He held as they guy trashed until he stopped moving altogether. Joel dragged the body into the room and dropped it on the floor. Now to wait for his friend.

The pair was in silence until the next guy finally gave in "What the fuck, Steve? It does not take that long." He marched into the trap and Joel finished it.

They slipped down the stairs and their bad luck came in full swing.

"Fuuuccckkkk." Ellie said behind him. It was more than a couple guys.

They slide to the back aisle and Joel motioned to keep moving. They would get on the horses and ride home and then come up with an action plan. They knew were the bandits were staying. It wasn't worth the risk when they didn't have to deal with it. They began to head to the woods when they heard someone yelling.

"HEY! THERE ARE SOME HORSES!"

"Fuck." It was his turn to curse. They found them and this was going to be trouble.

"It has got to be a couple of the Jackson people out on a little scouting mission." One sneered.

"We'll show them scouting. Bring the horses. They are ours now."

Ellie made a noise. They could run, but that meant losing all their crap and two horses. He couldn't just do that. He motioned for to hide. She shook her head. ""I'm going with you. Just keep moving."

They crawled past the wall, and they took out another guard. "Let's just work on the outside people, and see if we can get the horses."

She nodded and they took out two guards together. She was quick with the knife and they only had... he studied the men. _Way to many to go._

He took in a deep breath and they continued to take out as many before they would be discovered and he knew they would be.

The next guy dropped.

"Hey George! George..." He turned around "George? Shit! We got company!" The man ducked behind a car and the other guys ran to arm themselves.

"Shit." Ellie shifted. They didn't have any more element of surprise. "Stay, I will get the drop on them." Before she could protest he added. "Cover me if it gets bad." She shifted but nodded.

Joel rounded a dead car and managed to sneak up on more. A few were grouped... He slipped out a cocktail bottle and lit the cloth. He aimed and sent it flying. The men not burned scattered and regrouped. Ellie shot off a few rounds dropping a few more. They began to search for him, but they could handle this.

He dodged off and started to pick off the stragglers again.

-...-

The horses were okay and they were able to gather the rest of the supplies and add to the pile. The bandits had some of the pain medication in one the building. They didn't search long before they loaded up to leave.

"That was a lot of bandits." Ellie pet her horse.

"I'm sure they gather up and make gangs when it suits them. Now we better head back and tell Tommy what happened." At least, they found what they needed. They had the group's plans on the map so they didn't have to worry about anyone else picking up where these guys left off.

"You think we will be safe now?"

"For a while. It never really ends just new guys will come to Jackson." He mounted his. "Come on. I don't want to find out if that was all of them."

Ellie frowned.

He wait for her to catch up. "Don't worry, Honey. At least we don't have to worry about this group." He pulled her in for a quick hug and kissed her temples. "Ready to go back home."

"Yeah. I think we can stay at home for a while."

"I wouldn't mind settling in again."

A/N: I had some request for pregnancy scare with Ellie after all the 'fun' with Joel. Also as for the spanking. I was looking back at the story and Ellie gets to hit him a lot so it is fair (And I would have slapped someone in his spot)... and I really want to write a dark!Joel... hm... darn work...

As for the blood debate it would be a great issue to explore. I hope she can have kids not be alone. I did like the theory that their has to be more people gaining the immunity.


	30. We are the Champions

We are the Champions

Thanks to fan (This is Joel. No pulls outs), ThatChickontheInternet (I am sad too), Amillia, razisgosu (On it my friend. I was worried that people would not like it, but I am so writing it), Kenny9x3 (Thank you so much! I am the same way with only one story I follow.), Twinkie Time (I loved the idea. Also, I would be terrified to have a baby in that world. a (Joel never has it easy. I will be looking for your story), kirbster676 (D'aww a very cute playmate. I know I laughed during Pittsburgh because they took out so many guys, just two people.), doomsta27 (I agree. 14 is too young even, 16 although people argue that point), mckoy12345678910 (Thanks. You can look forward to double update tonight)

A/N: This is the last in the story, but you can expect one last update tonight. I'm doing a double post.

-...- (Joel)

The sun set behind them as they arrived at the gates to Jackson. It had been a long day since this morning. Luckily, the guard looked them over and opened the gate.

"Welcome back." The other guard greeted as they resealed the gate for the night.

Joel waved and trotted on through the town. He was tired and dirty and ready for dinner and bed. They stopped at the stables to leave the horses just as the streetlights were kicking on. One of the men who tended the stable took the horse off their hands. He unhooked the saddle and gave the poor animals some care and well-deserved oats.

Joel shouldered the bags of groceries they got on this shopping trip. There maybe a day that he has to make two trips to carry it all, but today was not that day.

"Whoo. I am so glad to be home." Ellie stretched her legs before followed his lead.

"Same here."

They did clean out the town and everything was fine for a few miles until another group of bandits tried to jump them like Robin Hood. It was blur of kicking the horses into gear as arrows and sticks were thrown at them. At least, the guys couldn't follow them too long it just scared the horses a bit. After that they had a few miles to go. Now, they made it to Jackson and were ready to just hand off the supplies and rest.

"I guess we should drop this off at Tommy's first." Ellie said swinging the bags.

"Yeah. I guess." He didn't want to, but he figured he had too. He really didn't want to have all those tests at his house or worry Tommy. Although he was sure someone called Tommy on the radio.

"They might make us dinner." She sounded so hopeful.

_Dinner..._ Maria was a good cook. "Fine. Scoot." He bopped her leg lightly with his bags. She smiled and they started to walk together in the dim lights.

-...- (Ellie)

"Hey Ellie!" Al ran to her and took the bags from her and hugged her in one move. "We were worried about you!" He knew she was going on the trip, but she guessed she would be worried too that something could happen. She didn't like it if Joel left for more than a few hours.

"I can handle myself." She scanned the area for pie lady and forgot to watch that son of a pie.

He was still hugging her and kissed her cheek. _Ewwww..._ She had to burst this kid's bubble even if that meant carrying her own-well mostly Tommy's shit.

"You know we are just friends, right." She pulled out the hug.

"I know." He didn't know. He still had hope that she was going to date him. She had to lay down the law.

"Look. I'm with someone."

His head hung. "Who? Is it James or George?" Those were some of his friends, which that was sad if he thought his friends would be sneaking around with her.

"No." She took a deep breath and looked at Joel, who wouldn't make eye contact. It was her choice. It was now or never, and they would have to come out to the town sooner or later. _Might as well start with you._"Joel. But I have been with him for a while." He looked at her like she grew two heads, but she was too tired to have fight like they had with Maria. "Look, I love him, dude." It was as simple as that. The boys expression changed he didn't look happy, but hearing it from her at least calmed him down.

"Really?"

"Yep." She was dead serious.

"Can-can we still be friends?" She glanced at Joel and managed to get his attention, he shrugged. It was up to her and he was nice enough and having friends her age wasn't too bad.

"Sure."

"Cool." It must have not sunk all the way in his head because he looked at Joel like sizing him up. _Boy, you are going to lose that fight._ He held the bags. He was determined to carry them for her. "Where are you going?"

"Tommy's." He lead the way telling her about the farm and about one lady Chloe her friend Elaine getting in a fight over Nate. _'It was awesome.' _he said 'It was a cat fight.' and Ellie couldn't help, but smile but at his babbling. At least life in Jackson stayed interesting even inside the walked behind letting the teens talk.

He dropped her off on the porch. "See you tomorrow at the coop." He hopped off like a rabbit

"Hey, can I still get some pie sometimes?" She had to ask. It wasn't because she wanted to date him or give him hope. She just liked that pie.

He lit up. "Sure. I could ask mom if she would teach you? She always wants someone helping with peeling the apples and stuff."

"That's sounds great." Joel leaned in. He liked the pie as much as she did, but he wasn't going near Ashley.

"I'll tell her about it. Well bye Mr. Joel. And night Ellie."

"Night." She shook her head and carried the bags in. At least she was honest with him about being friends

"He is a nice kid."

"He is. But I like my man better."

Joel smirked. "Good. Just don't forget it." The bags nudged her butt. She could see a habit forming.

-...- (Joel)

He just shook his head at the whole thing with the teens. The boy took the news really good. He doubted the boy's mom would or most of the other parents in town would, but he didn't have the energy to care. He wished she would have made a friends with a girl, but as long as she had a friend he was fine. He knew where she liked to sleep. Besides, if she learned how to cook out of this it would be nice.

"Tommy! Maria!" He yelled. Buckley came and greeted them even with his small limp.

The two came out of the kitchen. She had a dish towel in hand, but she she had several hickeys on her neck. _They weren't doing too much work. _Joel smiled at least both brothers were happy. They both had a beautiful woman that they couldn't get enough of.

"I got the stuff." He dropped their bags on the couch. Ellie added to the pile. They both kept their gifts hidden from the other.

"Great." Tommy left his wife to start looking through. His eyes got wide at their haul.

"Got leftovers?" Ellie didn't waste anytime went to Maria who pet the girl's reddish hair and nodded. The girls left to go get food.

Tommy checked out the tests "Why did you get so many?" His nose wrinkled at the idea of needing so many.

Joel sat down in the chair. "Because they had them." He put his boots on the coffee table. He stretched back. That horse ride killed his legs. "I got good news."

"What?" Tommy made space on the couch going through the other supplies. They brought pain medicine, bandages, and everything else on that list. Buckley joined them after checking on the women and began to check out the bags himself.

Joel handed over the maps the one he left with and the one from the Bandits. "Took care of the Bandit problem."

"WHAT?! You weren't supposed to- You could have got killed or Ellie! Goddammit, Joel." Tommy was mad, but at least his heart was in the right place.

"It was a accident, but we finished it. At least you could be thankful."

"Thank you, but."

"I better get a few days off for that."

Tommy sighed. "Two. We don't need you getting lazy."

Joel snorted. The women came in with the food warmed up. _Thank God. _His stomach growled. He was getting a little soft with all this food.He left Tommy with the supplies and joined Ellie. Maria went to her husband and turned as red as the marks. She scooped up the bag and carried it to the bedroom to hide like they didn't know what it was. The food was great and Joel was glad to be home.

-...- (Ellie)

They made it home and he was stripping out of his clothes before the door was shut. He left his bags on the couch and she joined the pile. They would sort out in the morning and spend the day finding a good spot to hide the gifts. Ellie smiled and picked up his discarded shirt and followed him up the stairs

He wasn't too shy and dropped the jeans and boxers and climbed in bed with a sigh.

"You aren't going to take a shower?" She was... And he smelled like Bandit and horse...

"Is that an offer?" He already closed his eyes.

"Maybe." She sorted his clothes and stripped her own off and added to the baskets for light and dark.

"Maybe?" He got up and joined her by the baskets. He wrapped around her and hugged the air out of her. "I trained you so good."

She snorted. "Bullshit."

"We still have to work on the language..." he said into her hair as he trailed a few kisses down her neck. "Let's make the shower quick."

She pet his rough forearms before untangling herself. She led him to the bathroom by the hand and they kissed as the water warmed up. It was just lazy making out, but it was nice just to touch him and be pet. His hand wandered from her low back to rest on her ass. _Yep, this was a trend._ She looked down at her rather small chest. She knew what he liked. They climbed in.

"So, did you talk to Maria?" He continued to nip as she soaped up his hair. She even scrubbed at his beard.

"Yeah. Her advice was not to sleep with you." On cue he washed out his hair as she began to wash hers. "But she broke. Apparently some women try some natural herb thing; others have this condom thing that you wash out." _Which sounded nasty..._

"I don't like either." He admitted still holding her close to him so they both could enjoy the hot water.

"She said counting days might work. I'll ask around." She moved to wash his chest and back. Scrubbing off the dirt and blood. He kept on holding them close.

"We'll figure something out." She nodded; they would. She rubbed him down. "I think it is good enough for bed. Come on."

They shared a towel and he never left her, not once. He just wanted to hold her and kiss a little bit more.

They didn't bother to get dressed as they cuddled in their bed. _Damn, that was good to say 'their bed'_ He spooned her with his arm as her pillow.

"Are you happy here?" He asked

"Yeah, are you?" He nodded. She flipped the pillow her wet hair had soaked it.

"Promise to never let me go and love me forever?"

"I do."

"You may kiss the bride." She teased. She felt his lips on her neck again.

"Here." He slipped his watch off his broken watch and put it on hers like a large bangle bracelet. "I think you should take care of it." That might as well be a ring because she doubted they would ever get married like a normal couple, but they weren't a normal couple. The world they lived in was far from normal. He snuggled back into her slightly damp neck. "I love you.

"I love you, too"

They snuggled in the darkness of their room. He was warm and heavy, but she was happy. She had a home.

A/N: Thank you for over 300! I had to wrap up all the little plot points and I do want Ellie to have some friends her age. Also, I know the end was corny, but they are as good as married anyway. They might as well get their civil union on. You will get one more update and a surprise tonight.


	31. Hush, Little Baby

Hush, Little baby,

Thanks again to Gwenzilla (A habutt! That is brilliant!),silvijao, ThatChickontheInternet (Yeah I got the same feeling), MasterHollow (He gave the thing that meant the most to the person who means the most), kirbster676 (I doubt they would have the time.), razisgosu (I can see why. It is so cute.) doomsta27 (I wanted to make sure I got everything done) and mckoy12345678910 (Here is the double)

A/N: This is the bonus chapter for the over 300! It is shorter than normal, but this is a thank you for all the support. I think I made all the requests now and it is complete. I am certain that they will be happy a long time and have a good safe home. Since we started with Joel. We will end with Ellie

-..- (Ellie)

Ellie walked in from the back of the house. She had been cleaning the kitchen and finishing up a few little things. She was ready for a little spring cleaning. Almost a year in Jackson and two years since she met Joel back at in Boston. Hell her sweet sixteen was coming up this summer (which was strange). A lot had happened, but they were happily settled. They finally fixing the house up the way she liked. But now the hard part was keeping it all clean.

She went to the living room to grab the glass of water she left on the coffee table and she froze.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word. Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird." Joel was in the living room rocking the baby. It was amazing that little boy finally was quiet and it was always a treat to hear Joel sing even without the guitar.

"And if that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring." He did a little two step with the boy in arm because that boy liked to bounce. Ellie was lost in his voice, which was deep and smooth as he sang the lullaby.

"And if that diamond ring turns brass, Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass" _A more better line should be that 'papa is going to kick some ass.' _She never heard the whole song before and didn't know Joel knew it either.

"And if that looking glass gets broke, Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat." _A goat? Really a goat. _Joel kept going with his barnyard theme, "And if that billy goat won't pull, Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull." He was helping raise a farm boy. "And if that cart and bull turn over,

Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover"

"You should have named it Buckley." She finally spoke up and he danced to face her and give her a grin.

"And if that dog named Rover won't bark; Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart. And if that horse and cart fall down, You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."

"That's a lie." She wiped her hand on her jeans. "Is Thomas is out?"

"like a light." He still cradled the baby.

"Tommy and Maria needed a break." Her nephew was a handful and had a touch of choleric making him fusser and he couldn't sleep worth a damn. But that boy loved Joel. She couldn't say that she blamed him. Joel spoiled that boy. If he was within ten feet Joel would hold and rock him for hours. "They hadn't slept in two days. Tommy claimed. I would have called him on the lie, but I got out of working at the plant by doing this."

"So, you want to be Papa now"

"'Uncle Joel' doesn't sound as good in there and it is the one lullaby I can remember." He confessed.

She smiled at him. They still weren't ready for their own, but she knew one day they would be ready to cross that bridge. He would be better with the kids that she would be.

"They have Star Wars at the center. The original. It is the best. Do you want to go see it?" He offered.

"Of course." She loved the movies and date night was another thing she loved. They still cuddled in the front row the townspeople opinion and she still didn't have any fucks to give on that issue. "Wait... don't you have to work the fence tonight?"

"Yeah. But but I talked them in trading some hours." So he did plan ahead.

"Cool." She couldn't help, but watch him.

He grinned. "I think I can put this little bug down now." He went to the boys crib-away-from-home and laid him down. He didn't take more than five steps before they heard the whining before the storm. Joel scooped him up before all hell broke loose. "Fine buckaroo. You are going to have to see Aunt Ellie too." He danced over so the baby didn't cry.

"I love you." He kissed her on the mouth.

"You too." She returned the kiss with another.

"I'm going to finish with the kitchen. I only got the dishes left and let's go to town for dinner." Too much housework was killing her. Tomorrow she would work in town. "Can we slip out of town and scavenge a little this weekend if you want." They could head North or West either way.

"Need a little adventure?" They both got a little cabin fever from time to time and even if they didn't find bandits, it was always an adventure.

"Yeah. I really hate spring cleaning."

He shook his head at the young woman "A little vacation sounds good." He was already humming the boy back to sleep.

A/N: Here is the real surprise. I decided to try and wing another story (I wanted this to be done before school so I knew it would end right). It will be different from this one featuring a dark!Joel and will feature a little more Tess and a little bit more of Ellie's past. Joel will be the a little more rough.

It is a romance and it will just be different from my cuddly Joel. So, be on the lookout for "Please Forgive me if I'm Hard on You." I will post it tonight.


End file.
